A World Apart
by DarkenedRequiem
Summary: He sliced her upper arm making Sakura grit her teeth in pain. Kakashi's adrenaline started to kick in. "When we meet again," Kakashi said in his usually controlled voice as he leaned against the wall crossing his arms. He opened his eye and tilted his head to the side a smile gracing his features, "I'll kill you."
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

The darkness seemed consuming around her as Sakura attempted to open her eyes. She blinked several times attemtping to remember how she got here. She couldn't really remember where she was exactly. She was suppose to be on a mission with Naruto going to Suna on the request of the Kazekage, Gaara. Her medical expertise was required. She tried to move her arms, but she couldn't move them. It was as if she was under Shikamaru's Kagemane no Jutsu (shadown posession jutsu). She finally managed to get her body to cooperate and she sat up on her knees. Her next move was to stand; however, she was met with the resistance of the chains around her ankles. She sighed and leaned back finding the wall behind her. She closed her eyes and strained her memory.

Flashback

"Hey Sakura! Do you think Gaara will have that delicious Soba again waiting for us like he did last time?" Said kunoichi shook her head as she jumped to the next tree limb. She couldn't help but smile at her closest friend.

"Yes Naruto, I'm sure he has some waiting. If not you can ask. I'm sure he will have it made for you." Naruto's grin made her smile widen.

The two Jinchuriki had become fast friends ever since Naruto had defeated Gaara after he had tried to kill Sakura (she had long since forgiven him and he apologized for it). Sakura was just glad that Naruto had someone he could relate to. The Nine Tailed Fox inside him was sure something she had no idea how to relate to nor understood completely what a burden it was. But he was her friend and she tried to do what she could for him when he was having one of his less than good days.

The kunoichi was awoken from her thoughts by some movement to her left. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she stopped searching for chakra signatures. Naruto had apparently noticed it as well as he landed infront of her.

"Do you sense anything Sakura?" He asked as he scanned the area around them.

"No," she replied slightly on edge.

"Me neither," he replied a slight edge to his voice. They were half way to Suna...if they could just make it a little longer.

"Naruto," Sakura started and then she saw it. Just for a second. Out of the corner of her eye there it was. Red on black. A cloud. Her eyes widened.

"Naruto run!" Naruto tuned to her his eyes widening. "Run you idiot! Run!"  
Suddenly they landed in front of them. Akatsuki. Naruto bolted as he was told, but he turned around in a sudden panic.

"Sakura! Come on!" The kunoichi ran up beside him ushering him to run and just looked at him with a smile.

"Run Naruto I'll cover you, run! They are after the Fox run! Don't let them have it!"

"Sakura!" He yelled as she turned and held her ground against the Akatsuki. Taking note of the large stream below her, she began forming hand signs as fast as her hands would allow her. She looked behind her to make sure Naruto was still running. He was although he kept looking back. She smiled.

"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!" Two large sharks flew from the stream and hit solidly both of the Akatsuki who poofed into smoke. Bushin. She froze. One Akatsuki member appeared in front of her. Deidara.

"Goodnight kunoichi," he said in a sickeninly smug tone. She closed her eyes and knew nothing more.

End Flashback

Sakura inwardly groaned. She knew where she was now. She leaned her head back to normal and opened her eyes as she heard the door lock unhinge. Her heartbeat sped up slightly, but she steeled herself as she had that moment in the woods for her upcoming death. She resigned to it. No one ever made it out alive of the Akatsuki compound, and no one escaped from it either at least with enough life left to tell the tale of it. With these thoughts her heartbeat slowed to a dull thump-thump and her mind numbed prepared to face her enemy that was about to step through the door. She lifted her gaze full intending to look them in the eye. She would honor her village by showing no fear. She wanted to leave an impression on the Akatsuki. She wanted them to know that Konoha was strong and they didn't fear them. She drew he strength from one simple thought: Naruto was alive. She had saved him and he was alive.

Light filtered in through the doorway and landed on Sakura blinding her. A silhouette of a man stood against the light from outside the cell. Sakura narrowed her eyes to keep most of the light out, but she still looked at the figure.

"Let me out," Sakura practically growled.

"Oooh ho ho fiesty one aren't you?" said a slightly moking voice, "But it doesn't look like you are in too much of a position to be barking orders are ya?" Sakura just glared at him. The figure slowly walked into her cell and stood merely feet from her, "You're just lucky that they want you alive." Sakura's eyes narrowed more.

"Why would the Akatsuki want me alive?" she sniped with a malicious tone.

"I don't know," he said crouching before her as she heard the movement of his hands performing signs, "but are needed. Otherwise you'd be dead," he said with a slight laugh.

"I'd actually prefer that," she growled as her arms were tightly bound by some rope and she was forced to her feet. She heard a dark laugh.

"All in due time, all in due time." She shoved against her captor and he twisted the bindings in an upward position. Sakura grit her teeth in the pain but refused to give the Akatsuki member the pleasure of hearing her cry out in pain. "Tough one aren't you?" he guffawed.

"Fuck you," she retorted and he laughed.

"Fiery, you might've made a good Akatsuki member in a past life," he said contemplatively. Sakura growled low and he just laughed at her in a mocking tone. She had had just about enough of this guy.

"Who are you anyway," she said struggling a little against him, "if I'm going to die might as well know who is going to be the one to kill me."

He chuckled shortly, "I am Kisame, Hoshigaki Kisame." She took a glance back at the man holding her captive. He was blue with white eyes and he had slits underneath his eyes that were like gills. She quickly looked forward and he grunted. "What, never seen anyone like me before, eh?" Then he started laughing. Nope, nope, definitely not. Sakura just lowered her head to where her chin rested on her chest.

She was being led down a hallway with black stone looking walls with torches mounted on them. It was very dungeonesc. Kisame suddenly stopped. She was jolted slightly and she looked back in annoyance. Kisame shifted to where he was blocking her view and suddely the wall opened up to reveal a passage way. Kisame jerked her back toward him making her stumble slightly over her feet and slammed into him. Sakura just gave him a look. He smirked as he forced her through the opening an into an open room. She stopped for a second to take in her surroundings.

The room was gothic looking and circular. A black chandelier hung in the center of the room lit by countless candles. She could see many men were in the room but they were near the outer edge of the room shrowded in the darkness the chandelier didn't light. The ground rose around the edges as well and someone sat in a chair across from where she stood. Kisame forced her into the room and she stumbled falling to her knees. Kisame chuckled as he hefted her to her feet walking her closer to the seated figure. Kisame released his grip on her bindings and returned to the edge of the room like the rest of the Akatsuki. Sakura felt the first inkling of fear she had allowed herself to feel since waking up. She was surrounded by Akatsuki members with no exit, as the door she had come through had closed, and she was bound. She tried for the first time to feel her chakra stores. She felt none. Great the ropes absorbed chakra. She took in a breath and settled her mind once more to the resignation of her death. Naruto was safe.

"You are Haruno Sakura," said a quiet voice that came from in front of her. It was definitely male but soft. Sakura didn't respond. "You are being held here for your medical expertise otherwise you would be dead." Sakura merely smirked.

"Why don't you go ahead and kill me like I know you will anyway," she spat. A second different male voice spoke from the darkness.

"Ooooh temper temper, say I'd like to play with her, can I can I please?!" Sakura tilted her head toward the playful sounding voice that caught her off guard. It was disturbing to her.

Shut up Tobi," a voice she recognized as Kisame said.

"Ooooh Kisame you spoil all the fun." She heard a growl and couldn't help but smirk.

"Play, yes play," said a voice that laughed darkly, "I'd like to play with her as well to test just how much pain she can handle." An erruption of laughter emitted from the room.

"Good one Deidara," Kisame said laughing.

"Bring him in," the original voice said. Kisame left the room swiftly and returned moments later. Sakura's eyes widened in fear. Naruto? They had caught Naruto? That baka! She had told him to run! Kisame forced the second prisoner forward into the light beside Sakura.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled in shock. A very battered and bloody looking Hatake Kakashi kneeled beside her. His breathing was laborous and shallow. There were several noticable wounds on him that were gaping and huge. "  
Your choice is simple," the voice said, "You can choose to live and join the Akatsuki and we will let your Sensei go after you have healed him. Or you can choose not to, watch your sensei be tortured, die in front of you, and then you also will be tortured and killed." Sakura began to panic. The situation had gone from bad to worse. Kakashi's life was now in her hands. She closed her eyes. She would not allow Kakashi to die. He had saved her, taught her from a genin, and as her teacher and friend she loved Kakashi.

Tears filled the kunoichi's eyes as she looked over at Kakashi who was looking at her through his chocolate brown eye. His face was the image of pain beneath his mask. Even hidden so well she could tell. She offered him a small smile. Kakashi realized what her expression portrayed.

"Sakura no, don't do this for me. Don't you dare Sakura-chan." He used her pet name and tears fell freely from her face in streams. A silence fell over the room and out of the corner of her eye Sakura saw someone move forward slightly in what looked like a flinching motion. But she drew her attention back to Kakashi.

"Kakashi, don't be stupid," she said her voice quivering, "you have saved me countless times. You have been hurt countless times and I was powerless to save you. This time...I can."

"Sakura, don't." To anyone who didn't know Kakashi his voice would have sounded monotone but to Sakura there was a hint of pleading in it.

"Kakashi-kun," she said catching him off guard and he looked straight at her, "don't make this any harder for me. You know where I'll be if you need me," she said her voice still shaking. Kakashi's eyes narrowed in the riddle of words she had just said to him. He knew what she was saying but he still didn't like the idea of her being alone in this place where they would do God knows what to her. Sakura turned to the person seated before her.

"I will join your ranks,"she spoke with as much contempt as she could manage, "If you promise to keep your word."

"Very well," he said. Kakashi was hoisted to his feet and so was Sakura. The male ninja kept his eyes on Sakura as long as she was in sight. She was led away by a man with an orange mask with a hole in it and he was being man handled by Kisame.

"You made a good choice Sakura-chan!" said the sickeningly cheery Akatsuki member, "you will now be an Akatsuki member and we can play!" Sakura shuddered at the prospect of what an Akatsuki member considered 'play'. She was shown back to her cell and chained to the floor once more.

"When will I be able to heal Kakashi. In the state he's in without medical attention he will die soon." Tobi paused as he tossed the bindings aside. He turned towards her in a manner she found terrifying. His body language had changed as well forboding death and destruction. Then his mannerism completely changed back to playful once more.

"Soon I'm sure Saku-chan! Soon, soon, soon." Then he left without another word. She heard the lock slide back into place and his cackling outside of the cell. She hung her head and let out a sigh as tears returned to her eyes. She was stuck here. She was doomed to be an Akatsuki member. She was a prisoner for the rest of time. Tears began to fall in earnest now as low sobs escaped her. She did all of this for her sensei. Too bad she could never really tell him what she had to say to him now.

Sakura was awoken early the next morning by the lock sliding open and a bowl of rice, a bowl of ramen, and a bowl of steamed vegetables. She looked up at Kisame who was smirking at her.

"Was told to bring this to you," he said gruffly looking at her. Sakura merely glared at him. He smirked, "I'm not going to make you eat it," he said laughing, "actually I'd prefer you wouldn't. You'd be easier to control that way, weaker." Sakura merely growled.

"Do you have to watch me," Sakura replied taking the vegetable bowl and eating it cautiously. Kisame had leaned against the adjacent wall she was leaned against and looked at her.

"I am to take you to your fellow shinobi after you eat, or rather your ex-fellow shinobi," he smirked maliciously as he added, " that is, if he's still alive." A low growl sound emitted from deep within Sakura.

"If he is dead," Sakura replied, "then our agreement is invalid." Kisame laughed.

"If so, you're dead then, aren't ya?" Sakura glared in reply. He laughed darkly and said, "You better hope he is a strong shinobi then."

"I know he is," Sakura almost whispered as she dug in heartily to her bowls.

After Sakura was done she was bound once more in the chakra cancelling bindings and walked down the same dark hallways. She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. It was dark and foreboding. It looked like something was going to lunge down out of it and suck you up with it. A subtle shiver went down her spine as they stopped again in the middle of the hallway. She looked back at Kisame who had once again moved his body to block what he was doing. Suddenly he stepped away and a door appeared with a lock on it. Kisame undid the lock and opened the door shoving Sakura inside. He undid her bindings and shut the door locking her inside. Sakura saw several torches hanging on the walls around them and in the center of the room there he was laying on his back on the floor.

Sakura knelt down beside him and placed her hands on his chest her hands glowing a light green. She probed his body with her chakra checking for more fatal internal wounds. His pulse was weak. She pumped chakra into his body in huge amounts healing all of his interal major wounds. He was passed out but his body still went into shock at the pain it was going through as well as a cold sweat. She bit her lower lip as she heard a one rib, two, three, four, five snap back into place. She next focused on the external wounds on his side and chest. Her chakra ran down his leg to a snapped femur and healed that.

In the middle of the healing process she felt a hand grib around her wrist. She opened her eyes to see Kakashi's one eye wide open and his breathing getting fast.

"Sakura." he said airly.

"Shhh Kakashi-sensei," she said trying to keep her voice steady. Never in her life had she seen the man, who she thought invincible in her younger years, this broken or in this much pain. It cut her deep to see him in such a state, but she had to pull it together and be strong for him. "You're going to be okay Kakashi." She saw him turn his head toward her and he breathed out heavily.

"I know," he replied. "I trust you Sakura." He turned his head back to where he looked at the ceiling. Sakura healed the last of his small wounds as he said, " You shouldn't have done this Sakura." She looked down at him and laid a hand on his head her green glowing hands checking his temperature along with the condition of his sharingan eye.

"You know I had to Kakashi," she said quietly. His temperature was a bit higher than usual; however, with what he just went through without anisthetic it was normal to her. "I couldn't let you die." His eye was a bit stressed so Sakura coursed chakra through it to ease some of the pain she knew he was feeling.

"If you die here Sakura," he started, "if they hurt you," he said in a dangerous tone.

"Then if I die," she said finally taking her hand off of him, "don't let it be in vain, and don't dishonor my memory by spending more time than usual at the memorial stone." Kakashi turned his head to look at her again searching her face in the dimly lit room.

"I can't promise that," he said quietly.

"I know," she replied softly.

Sakura looked down at Kakashi for a few moments still unable to put to words what her heart had been telling her for the past six months. She had in some way, somehow fallen for the Copy nin of Konoha. She had realized it over six months ago when he had come into the hospital to visit her after a year long mission of his. She had missed him, but she just didn't realize how much.

Flashback

Sakura sighed at the pile of papers on her desk. Now she knew why Tsunade-shisou drank so much. She raised a hand to the bridge of her nose as she leaned back in her chair. Today had been a normal day at the hospital with sick, vomiting children, lethargic (perverted) old men, pregnant women, and fake sick shinobi men who were hoping to get a look at the young nurses. However, for one reason or another, it had been very fatiguing to the young kunoichi.

She leaned back forward to start her mountain of papers when a quiet knock on the door caught her attention. "Come in," she called sighing heavily.

"Hey there Sakura, rough day?" A smooth tenor said from the door. She looked up to see the slim, solid figure of the silver haired, masked shinobi man.

"Kakashi-sensei!" She said slightly surprised, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just got back from my mission. Hadn't seen you in awhile, so I decided to stop by to see how you were." Sakura eyed her sensei apprehensively.

"You avoid hospitals like the plague Kakashi, are you okay?" She walked over to the shinobi and placed a hand on his forehead checking his temperature. He smiled beneath the mask grabbing her hand with his and bringing it away from his head.

"I'm fine Sakura," he said his famous smile on his face. Sakura was caught of guard by his touch. Her eyes widened slightly as her stomach errupted in butterflies when his skin touched hers. She immediately recovered from it and sighed.

"Fine, fine Kakashi. You can't blame me though. You never go to the hospital, even when you need to." She was still looking at him suspeciously.

"What can I not come visit my favorite student when I want to?" he teased lightly.

"Hardy har har. I'm sure you tell Naruto the same thing," she said but she couldn't help the slight smile that played upon her features.

"Aw Sakura I'm hurt," he said holding a hand to his heart and using what people called his most pouty face. Sakura couldn't help but laugh which brought a smile to his face.

Sakura couldn't help but look at Kakashi with different eyes for some reason. She couldn't put her finger on it. He was somehow different to her. She was even finding him attractive. Sakura was far from the girl she had once been, and she only called him sensei out of habit. She was twenty-three and he was thirty-seven full and well within the age of dating according to the shinobi lifestyle. Wait! Why was she thinking this! He was her SENSEI for heaven's sake! But she couldn't really help it. Something about him just drew her to him like he was a magnet. She couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, alright Kakashi. That still doesn't explain why you're here you've never come here before." She glanced up at the clock on the wall. She had thirty minutes til she was off. It was friday and Tsunade wouldn't care. "Would you like to go get a drink or something?" she asked sighing again at the paperwork on her desk. "I could really use one." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask.

"Sure," Kakashi replied as Sakura grabbed her white coat and walked around the desk to the door that Kakashi held open for her.

End Flashback

"Sakura," he spoke softly bringing her back from her thoughts. She had zoned out looking at him. She was looking directly into his chocolate eye that was fixed upon her. She had developed feelings for him in secret since then. She had wanted to tell him today, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it now knowing that they might not see each other again. She couldn't bring that pain to him.

Kakashi couldn't understand it. Why was Sakura doing this. She had agreed to become an Akatsuki member and submit herself to whatever they were going to do to her. And Kakashi knew in his experience as a shinobi there were worse things than death for a kunoichi. He had seen it. His eyes narrowed at the thought. He couldn't bare it. If she got hurt, in any way, he'd never be able to forgive himself. She had been his to watch out for, to protect, and to defend since she was very young. The silver haired shinobi personally did not take a liking to people that he considered to be dear to him being threatened or injured. When he returned to get her, if she was harmed in any way, there would be hell to pay.

"Sakura," he said softly to her. Her eyes came back into focus on him, "Please don't do this." He could see her mind working on something. Debating on whether or not to tell him something. He'd seen that look before on many missions they'd been on together. It usually happened when she was debating whether or not to say something important or keep it to herself. "Sakura, what is it?"

"Kakashi," she started when the door to his cell opened. An Akatsuki member had walked in and grabbed Sakura by her arm. Kakashi could tell the strength was fading from her after healing so much of his body. She barely had any strength left at all. He narrowed his eye at the Akatsuki as the man gripped tighter on Sakura making her flinch. Kakashi's eye narrowed and a low rumble of a sound echoed deep inside his chest. The Akatsuki just laughed maliciously at him.

"Oh what's wrong? Does this bother you?" He said takinga kunai out of a pouch beneath his robe and sliced her upper arm making Sakura grit her teeth in pain. He knew she wouldn't make a sound. It would give the Akatsuki incentive to continue and create a greater anger inside Kakashi. They were taught to not make a sound during torture especially in front of fellow shinobi. Kakashi's eye narrowed at the action. He sat up and became well aware his ankles were chained to the floor with a chakra suppressant jutsu on them. Damn. "Hahaha. I thought so. Too bad she didn't choose the second option. We could have had so much fun!" He sliced Sakura's arm again deeply to try and get a bigger reaction from her. She merely gritted her teeth more and Kakashi's adrenaline started to kick in.

"When we meet again," Kakashi said in his usually controlled voice as he leaned against the wall crossing his arms . He opened his eye and tilted his head to the side a smile gracing his features, "I'll kill you." The Akatsuki just laughed.

"I'd like to see you try," he said as he pulled Sakura out of the room. Kakashi locked eyes with her one last time before they left the room. Her emotionless mask was in place, but it dropped for a split second in her eyes. There is where he saw it, something they were never suppose to show in this type of situation, even to their fellow shinobi: fear. His muscles tensed in anger. He closed his eyeas the cell door closed letting the darkness around him calm him. He would be set free soon, and after that he would start to plan his attack.

Sakura winced as she felt the hot stickly liquid of her blood flow down her arm in a steady stream. The Akatsuki behind her still held the kunai in his hand. It was not pointed firmly into her back her hands bound again. She could feel the aching of her arm in pain. At least Kakashi was healed. That's all that mattered to her now.

"Well kunoichi, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," the male voice said behind her. Sakura opted to not answer the male enemy shinobi. "We are going to have a lot of fun together," he said evilly. It sent shivers down her spine. The Akatsuki was about to speak again when another, quiet voice interrupted the silence.

"Deidara." The Akatsuki, Deidara turned to look at the man who called his name. Sakura's curiosity was peaked and she turned as well. Her eyes widening as she did so. Down the hall from where they came was Kisame but beside him stood a shorter male with black hair pulled into a pont tail and red eyes. He looked exactly like every other person who held the name sake, it was Uchiha Itachi.

"Yes, Itachi," Deidara replied his tone of voice slightly annoyed at being interrupted with his captive.

"Kisame was suppose to take her to her cell," he said. His voice was quiet but it somehow carried the distance it was suppose to. It seemed unassuming yet from the reactions of the male shinobi in the room it carried great authority. She could tell by the way he was tensing his muscles he wanted to rebel against the Uchiha. She saw Itachi narrow his sharingan at Deidara. He could tell too. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. This was something she did not want to be caught in the middle of if at all possible. Two Akatsuki members fighting. She tried to pull away from Deidara and he turned on her sticking the kunai deep into her shoulder. She gritted her teeth again against the pain. "Drop her." Deidara turned toward Itachi and smirked.

"Fine, Itachi," he said throwing Sakura to the floor in between the three shinobi with the kunai still lodged in her shoulder. Itachi's eyes narrowed.

"She is apart of the Akatsuki now, Deidara," his voice was even and held no emotion, "treat her like it." He said as he turned and walked away. Sakura could hear footsteps echo closer to her and she lifted her head to see Kisame bending down to hoist her to her feet. Once on her feet she came face to face with Deidara. Her eyes narrowed and Deidara's eyes held a malicious glint. Kisame's face was stern as he looked at Deidara.

Kisame didn't reguard Deidara with much respect. They were all Akatsuki members capable of killing any shinobi easily, still most were decent in their dealings with women. Everyone but Deidara. Although Kisame was a missing nin, he still held the values he learned from his village at heart. He wasn't about to raise a hand against the explosive, perverse Akatsuki member but he didn't agree with what he did or how he was acting.

"Too bad little kuniochi, we'll have to play later then," Deidara said in an evil tone. Sakura just glared at him and spat at his feet. Deidara's face turned to pure anger as he lunged for her. Kisame pulled Sakura quickly out of the way of Deidara's wrath as his other fist caught him by the collar lifting him slightly off of the ground.

"She is not to be harmed according to his wishes," he said glaring into the shinobi's eyes," you wouldn't want to disobey his order would you?" Deidara's fight cooled down significantly and he relaxed. Kisame smirked at Deidara as he released his grip on him. The Akatsuki member fixed his robe and then stormed off angrily.

Sakura who had had a side view of the entire occurence couldn't help but smile at the man's anger as he walked off. Kisame smirked at her mirth as he led her down a different hallway than before. It was much nicer and of a tan color with a chandelier hung every five or so feet. There were rooms she could tell on either side of the hallway. Kisame stopped at one and opened the door. The room was paineted in red and black. The top half of the walls in red the lower half black the crown molding was black and the baseboards were red. There was a black and red bed, a bathroom, a dresser, a full length mirror, and a desk. all of dark wood color schemed the same. Kisame walked her into the room and took off her bindings.

"This is your room," he said slightly gruff, "don't leave the room for now until you are summoned to, and even if you tried you can't the door will be locked from the outside." Sakura gave him a look and he smirked as he left the room closing the locked door behind him. Sakura sat on the bed and began healing her wounds. She felt so trapped by this space. She could barely stand it, but this was the new life she had chosen. She would have to deal with it. She contemplated suicide, but she knew if Kakashi did infact come back he'd die if she was dead. She sighed as she laid back on the bed closing her eyes as she unintentionally fell asleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Perscripto13: I am glad you enjoyed it.

As promised the second chapter. I will try to update regularly. Thank you for reviewing.

Chapter Two

Kakashi awoke to the sound of the lock clicking outside of his cell. He opened his one eye as the light filtered into the room and an Akatsuki member approached him bindings in hand. Kakashi had debated already whether or not to try and resist the captor that he had been sure would appear to get him this morning to fulfill the 'promise' made to Sakura. It would either work and he would escape with Sakura or he would fail, end up dieing, and then Sakura would have no one who knew how to get to the Akatsuki to save her. She would be killed for his lack of cooperation in the process. The alternative was he would die unbeknownst to her and she would live tortured for the rest of her life wondering why he had never come for her. That he couldn't take even to his death. He had decided the latter was the better alternative.

"Time to go," said a gruff voice that bound his arms behind his back before he even took the chains off. Kakashi couldn't help a smirk that appeared beneath his mask. Even the Akatsuki knew to not underestimate the silver haired shinobi. And rightly so.

Kakashi didn't reply as the chains fell off of his ankles after a few hand signs were preformed by the Akatsuki member. Even without his sharingan in the dark Kakashi could tell. He was then roughly pushed from the wall and walked out of the cell and into the hallway lit by the torches. He hoped Sakura would have better accomodations than he had for the past few days he'd been there.

Kakashi inwardly sighed at his predicament. He'd been on a mission for the Hokage. She had asked him to scout the border of Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire) and Tanigakure for some suspecious activity that had been reported of Akatsuki members there. The Hokage had told him she was aware of an abandoned hideout that happened to be in the Land of Rivers. The report had come in after she had already sent Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto out to Suna unescorted. The Hokage had had a bad feeling about it and wanted to have the reports affirmed as well as have Kakashi meet up with the other two shinobi. Kakashi had readily taken the mission noting how Naruto was greatly desired by the Akatsuki for his status as a Jinchuriki. He had been ambushed shortly after reaching the border of Hu no Kuni. He was thankful that Naruto had not been captured. Kakashi had swept the area with some of the surplus of chakra that Sakura had pumped into his eye to sense for Naruto's chakra signal at all. None was there. Kakashi knew that the young medic would have normally been frustrated at his redirection of her chakra meant to heal him, but under these specific circumstances he didn't think she would mind too much.

Kakashi took in the sights around him as if trying to memorize each and every corridor in the building. He knew they would more than likely move base soon after his departure, but the Akatsuki were somewhat predictable in the structure of their bases having seen one before. The building he'd be looking for would have the same architectual liberties as far as he knew. That is if he would actually be alive to come back and find her.

He was suddenly brought to a stop beside an empty wall. The Akatsuki member he recognized as Hoshigaki Kisame turned away from him obviously doing some more hand signs. Kakashi found it increasingly unfortunate his sharingan was covered. A good preventative measure on the Akatsuki's part. He'd find a way to get to Sakura though. He always did. The Akatsuki member shoved him roughly through an opening now in the wall of the hallway that hadn't been there before and he faced an opening into a larger room. Suddenly a piece of material was tied around his head covering his exposed eye.

"So you can't see when you try to come back for Saku-chan," said a sing song voice quite different from Kisame's gruff one, "We'll take good care of her," he said laughing, "We'll have so much fun playing, play, play, play." The Akatsuki member chanted as if excited by the prospect of playing with Sakura that quite frankly make Kakashi's hair stand on end.

"I think Sakura is too old to play," said Kakashi in a controlled even voice who would have looked quite bored had anyone been able to see his eyes; however, he was quite the opposite.

"Shut up Tobi," Kisame's growl came across as he stepped forward making Kakashi walk forward as well. His other senses heightened after his eyes were covered and Kakashi strained to hear every sound around him. He suddenly felt quite off balance his feet not really feeling the ground. As soon as he registered this the ground came crashing to his feet. He had been teleported from the base. His hands were still bound and a slight resistance against Kakashi's arms told him he was still being held. The fabric came off first and Kakashi looked around him at the dense forest before him. He looked up at the sky. It had to be around noon. He looked back at Kisame who was currently beginning to undo his bindings. There was no hint behind him that a building existed. Kakashi looked forward again as the bindings began to feel more loose against his skin,

"I will find her," Kakashi said evenly to no one in particular. Kisame heard him though and merely scoffed at his words.

"Yeah, well if you plan on doing that," he said still holdings the bindings in place even though they were untied, "I'd have to tell you good luck, because you never will."

Kakashi turned behind him breaking free of Kisame's grip to strike him with a good chakra enforced punch, but Kisame had already disappeared with a justu. Kakashi's brown eye narrowed as his hands started speeding through hand signs and all of his ninken appeared before him. Pakkun spoke first.

"What is it Kakashi-ue," he said evenly. His face immediately took one of worry. He didn't have to try to smell the worry that emitted from Kakashi it was a potent smell that took no time at all in noticing.

"Sakura has been taken by the Akatsuki," Kakashi said still in an even tone although he was worried. He relaxed his posture slightly as he looked down at Pakkun keen on not giving too much away with the ninken, "I need you and Uhei to come with me to track her sent," he looked to his other dogs, "Bull, Akino, Urushi go to Suna to make sure Naruto made it there safely and inform the Kazekage of her capture if Naruto has not done so. Then Urushi and Akino return to Konoha to report to Tsunade about Naruto's condition. She will have orders for you to follow after. Bull remain with Naruto until I call you back to me.0 Guruko, Bisuke, Shiba go to the Hokage and report I found the Akatsuki members. The activity report is true, I was captured by them but escaped, and that they have Sakura," he said the last part a little quieter.

Pakkun could tell that the fact that Sakura had been captured by the Akatsuki was severely affecting Kakashi. He pointed his nose to the wind and began to sniff around knowing his master well. He'd want to go as soon as he finished telling the other ninken his orders.

"Hai Kakashi-ue," all the ninken replied at once and shot off in different directions as he finished his words. Kakashi looked down at Pakkun and Uhei before him and Pakkun turned toward a faint smell of Sakura.

"This way," he said as they sped off back toward Tanigakure.

Naruto had just made it to Suna. They had been two days away when the attack occured. He hadn't slept much and he didn't want to as he raced through the gates of Suna the guards giving him an odd look as he sprinted towards the Kazekage's building. The sand beneath his feet was impeeding his footing but he pushed through it by adding some chakra to the soles of his feet. He had to talk to Gaara, now.

He had just barged through the door of the first floor of the building when he was met by Kankuro.

"Hey Naruto, we weren't expecting you for a few-"

"No time, Kankuro," he said as he ran past him. Kankuro caught up immediatly at seeing the urgency in the shinobi.

"What's up?" He asked concerned.

"Sakura," he replied running up the stairs now," she's been taken by the Akatsuki." Kankuro's face hardened in the hatred he held for the Akatsuki. They had on more than on occurence tried to take Gaara and remove Shukaku which would have in turn killed him.

"When," he questioned.

"Two days ago near Tanigakure," he responded reaching the top floor.

"Were you followed?"

"No."

"Good."

Just as the conversation was finished Naruto reached the door of the Kazekage's office. Naruto past formalities at this point barged in on Gaara in a meeting with another highly esteemed looking individual with Kankuro right behind him, who was a little taken aback by Naruto's imprudence but given the situation thought it excusable.

"Kazekage," Kankuro began, "there has been a disturbance. The look on Gaara's face was stoic as he looked from his brother to his friend who was out of breath. He had never seen him like this before. He was out of breath, he had arrived early, and his eyes held such a look Gaara couldn't break his gaze from his friend. But all too soon the reasoning became clear.

"Gaara, The Akatsuki have Sakura."

Tsunade sighed as she raised the a hand to the bridge of her nose pinching in aggravation. She had a mountain of papers to do on her desk that she couldn't really focus on due to the situation at hand. Naruto and Sakura. She had sent Kakashi out after them right after she had heard the report. She couldn't help but worry for the two. Kakashi had been merely a scout to reaffirm the sightings or not, but he hadn't reported back from his mission. That was what was worrying Tsunade. She had grown close to the two younger shinobi and could only hope that they were alright. She glanced out the window at the setting sun. This was the second day Kakashi had been missing in action with no report. This only managed to worry her more. He was infamous for his tardiness but surely the Copy nin would have a sense of urgency for a matter like this where it involved his previous students.

Tsunade was about to bring out a bottle from her secret stash of sake. It was nearing the end of the day anyway. Her working day was pretty much over. There was nothing wrong with relaxing with a bottle of sake and some paper work, was there? Nah. Suddenly Shizune came barging into her office with an alarmed look on her face.

"Tsunade-sama! Hatake Kakashi has been captured by the Akatsuki!" This caught the Godiame's attention quickly.

"When."

"An group of returning shinobi from a mission were passion through Tanigakure on their way back to Konoha when they saw Hatake engaged by three Akatsuki members. The shinobi would have assissted Hatake but their wounds from the mission were too great to intervene."

Tsunade took all of this in for a few moments. If the information was true Naruto and Sakura could possible be in trouble. However, before the Godiame could respond she heard barking and three ninken appeared inside her office from the open window. Tsunade recognized them at Kakashi's ninken. A tan one, Shiba, spoke to her.

"Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-ue has found the Akatsuki members. The reports of their activity are true. He has escaped encapturement by them," the dog paused before adding the last statement, "They have Haruno Sakura." Tsunade's eyes narrowed at the news of her apprentice.

"Where is Hatake?"

"He is tracking Sakura's scent at this very moment with Pakkun and Uhei. They are near Tanigakure," Shiba replied anticipating the Hokage's next question.

Tsudnate paused before she spoke again contemplating. "What of Uzumaki Naruto?"

"My fellow ninken are on their way right now to Suna to check on his status," Shiba replied respectfully.

Tsunade nodded taking all of this in. She finally looked at Shizune who was still standing by the door looking much like she herself felt. Finally she spoke.

"Shizune, call in ANBU squad one and tell them to come to my office and be prepared to leave on a mission immediately."

"Yes, Hokage," she replied practically running from the room.

Tsunade turned back toward the ninken folding her hands in front of her resting her mouth on them. The Akatsuki had Sakura. Why would they want Sakura? Surely she would have thought that they would had been after Naruto. What was it they wanted with Sakura? She came back to her senses as the ANBU members filed into her office one by one kneeling as they came. They all stood patiently some looking over at the ninken as they arrived no doubt questioning their presence in her office and some recognizing them. Finally, when all the members were present she spoke.

"Haruno Sakura has been taken by the Akatsuki. We are to believe their whereabouts are near Tanigakure in the Land of Rivers," she gestured to the ninken, "these ninken will lead you to Hatake Kakashi who you will meet up with and be working with on this mission. Your goal is to bring Haruno back alive," she looked around at the ANBU who stood there stoically like a one Uchiha would have. "Good luck." And with that all of the ANBU disappeared from her office along with the ninken.

Tsunade looked out of her window again at the gates to Konoha watching the team leave hastily. She sighed as she pulled the sake bottle out again and uncorked it fully and took a huge swig of it forgoing a glass. She set the bottle down as Shizune walked back into her office. Just hang on Sakura.

Sakura woke up from her slumber in the room she had been left in by Kisame. She sat up feeling much less stiff than she had felt after sleeping on the floor of her cell for some time. She looked down toward the edge of her bed and saw some black articles of clothing. Black sandals, black ninja shorts with netting to her ankles, black tank top with netting going down the arms to her wrists, and a black hair tie had she needed it. She couldn't help but thinking to herself...is this what all the Akatsuki members wore under their robes? She waved that image away as Uchiha Itachi in the shorts and netting came into mind. Talk about a whole nother level of scary. She stood up and stretched looking around the room once again. There were no windows. She couldn't tell what time of day it was because of this.

She sat back down on the bed. She thought over what had happened last night. She hadn't been able to tell him. She hung her head at the thought. She hadn't been able to tell the shinobi, the man that she had developed feelings for over the past six months how she felt about him even though she would never see him again. She could feel tears start to form at the image of his broken and battered body there on the ground. How he had stated seizing at the pain his body was undergoing at the time. Then his eye. His calming, sheilding, normally emotionless, chocolate brown eye that pleaded her to not save him. He had looked at her so questioningly. So trusting. Her tears began to brim at the edge of her eyes threatening to fall. His voice. That's what had gotten her. She had never heard him talk that gently to anyone before when he asked her what was wrong. It echoed inside her head torturing her. She felt the tears begin to fall in earnest now. She lifted her head toward the sky willing them to stop her hands on either side of her on the bed gripping the red sheets. Her hands twitched in emotion and pain that she was feeling. She had to get a grip! She raised her hands to her face to wipe away the tears as she saw the door handle of the room turn.

Sakura dashed towards the open bathroom door as whoever it was entered her room. She had shut the door behind her and heard the foot falls of someone in the other room. Her heartbeat quickened as for the first time she realized just how scared she was to be here. She was terrified. She was a shinobi for heaven's sake! She wasn't suppose to be afraid! She wasn't suppose to get scared! Her eyes which had hardened at the thought instantly widened when she heard something Kakashi had once told her before she went on her first mission as a chunin without him or anyone else she known at the time.

'Fear let's you know that you haven't become too arrogant or confident in your abilities to where you think you can't be killed. If you aren't afraid to die, you will die. You can have fear, but you can't let it control your emotions or actions . You can't let it depress you into resigning to death before you have a chance to fight, you have to keep up your hope you'll survive, you have to keep up your faith in your teammates, you have to work together to protect one another, and you have to keep a cool head and think logically even if at that time you think you can't. You have to or you will be killed.'

It was the way of the shinobi. To ignore your emotions so you could live. She found small comfort in that thought, yet pain at the memory of the man she had grown to care for deeply was brought back to the surface. If she was going to survive this. If she was going to live and wait for him to come save her she had to pull it together, she had to remain calm, she had to have hope, and most of all she had to have faith that he would come for her.

Sakura opened the door of the bathroom after making sure her eyes weren't puffy to find a certain Uchiha staring right at her. She froze as she looked into his eyes. The Sharingan. She quickly remembered what the sharingan did and averted her eyes to her bed and began to walk toward it. Itachi however caught her wrist and she walked by him and forced her back into the bathroom without saying anything. Sakura was knocked against the sink and began rubbign her wrist as she shot daggers at him.

Itachi turned and picked up the clothes on the bed and handed them to her along with a purple fluffy towel. Sakura took them willingly but kept her eyes on Itachi. Did he expect her to bathe in front of him? Oh heck no. She began to reach for the door to close it but Itachi spoke.

"After you have bathed knock on your door," he said it evenly and without a hint of emotion. It rivaled that of Kakashi and that was something that impressed Sakura.

After speaking he shut the door to the bathroom and she could hear him leave the room entirely. Sakura quickly went to the door and locked it. As if he couldn't get in if he wanted to by breaking it down, but it made her feel a little better about it all. She turned on the hot water and began to take her bath. Once the tub was full she sank down into the heavenly water and sighed heavily feeling it pull all the tension away from her muscles and aching back. It felt really good. She didn't enjoy it long though. She knew Itachi probably wasn't one to wait for very long. As she washed her hair she had realized it was actually getting pretty long. It was nearly down to her shoulders now. It had been awhile since she had cut it. It didn't really bother her now though. Now that she had proven herself her long hair no longer bothered her.

She quickly rinsed off and dressed in the layed out clothes that actually fit her rather well. She took advantage of the mirror in the bathroom and use it to put her hair up. She had the majority in the little band but let two rather large strands of hair fall around her face framing it. She looked at herself in the mirror. It wasn't as if anyone cared, but she felt the need to do it.

She unlocked the door of her bathroom and walked towards the door to her room. She raised a hand to knock. What if they were going to kill her after this. She hesitated. Why would they do that after having her clothed in this and then making her take a bath. It's not like they cared about what condition their victims were in. Pushing that thought aside she knocked on the door. It opened seconds later with Itachi standing at the door. He just looked at her and then walked away. Sakura followed without a word.

He had taken her down a different set of hallways she didn't recognize. They held the still same tan color as they had been before. Itachi stopped infront of a doorway and walked through it expecting Sakura to follow. She did and found what looked to be a gothic looking dining area. It held a hugely elongated table that was made out of dark wood. There was a fireplace beside the table and a huge chandelier hung over it with at least one hundred candles. To the left of the room was another door way that Sakura assumed was the kitchen area. There was also a huge door across the room from the staircase with a window. She could see the lush top of a tree. She gasped slightly. She had missed that sight.

She noticed Itachi had turned toward her at the sound of her gasp. She pretended to not notice as a certain blue Akatsuki member walked out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of ramen. Sakura looked up at him as she descended the stairs right behind Itachi. Kisame merely grunted a greeting.

"Hey there pinky," he said boredly as he sat down to eat ramen. Sakura glared at him.

"Hello yourself fish-face," she retorted curtly. Kisame froze and glared up at her growling. The result would have normally scared the kunoichi, but with the confidence her anger at him gave her she just merely put her hands on her hips and glared back.

"Saku-chan does play then," came a voice from behind her. Sakura turned around to see Tobi who began to laugh.

"Shut the hell up Tobi," Kisame spat at him glaring at the masked Akatsuki member.

"Awww Kisame, you're no fun," he said in a pouty tone," You need to learn how to play like Saku-chan." This merely earned him a growl.

Itachi began to walk away from the situation and Sakura didn't know whether or not to follow him until he turned around and looked at her. He lead her into the kitchen and turned to her.

"Cook your own meals. Eat what you want." He said evenly.

Sakura nodded to him and followed him back out into the dining area to the other door with the window over it. Itachi had about opened his mouth to explain what it was when a voice that sent chills down Sakura's spine spoke up.

"Well, well there's the little play thing."

Sakura turned with a glare on her face to see Deidara who was smirking at her from the stairway. She was visibly shaking and she could feel the cuts on her arm as if they were new.

"What's a matter love," he taunted as he pulled out a kunai, "Remember this?" Sakura's glare became quickly evil as her fists clenched but she dared not say anything. She was in the Akatsuki hide out and had no idea who was loyal to who here. Deidara started laughing evilly when a voice cut in.

"Enough Deidara," Itachi said walking up beside Sakura. She could see his eyes narrow. Deidara's eyes turned serious and his grin slackened but it didn't fade completely.

"Come now Itachi," he said still grinning," can't have a bit of fun with her can we?" Itachi's eyes narrowed at him. Deidara's grin vanished entirely.

Sakura didn't think Itachi was the leader of the Akatsuki, but he was definitely not someone they messed with. Sakura looked at Itachi who turned from Deidara and began to lead her outside.

Deidara narrowed his eyes at Itachi's back as he and the kunoichi left to go outside. His fists clenched in contempt. He would not be kept from something he wanted by anybody, even the Uchiha. Kisame looked up at Deidara and shook his head subtly at his anger. He was no match for the Uchiha and his Mangekyo Sharingan. Deidara had forgotten his fear and that was something that could get him into deep trouble with the Uchiha. He was not someon to be messed with. And unbeknownst to the bomb expert Kisame knew the medic was kept for. It was something of importance to the Akatsuki, specifically a member of the Akatsuki.

Itachi inwardly sighed after having to deal with the hot headed, perverse bomb expert. All that was on his mind was the next time he could get his hands on the pink haired kunoichi since he had tried to escort her to her room the previous night. He needed to learn that she was a member of the Akatsuki now. She was not someone to be toyed with and she wasn't someone to be used as his personal sex slave. She was needed. He just hoped she was as good a medic as everyone said she was.

He looked behind him to see her. She was currently looking around the training area that the Akatsuki had. It was quite large and spacious but there were a lot of Akatsuki members with various destructive powers. He looked at her out of the corner of his peripheral vision. She was quiet and seemed intelligent from her actions and words. Witty even. She was someone he could put up with. And for some odd reason he felt some connection to the kunoichi. He felt the need to protect her. The only problem he saw he would have would be out of Deidara. No one would care if he fought with the bomb expert. He wasn't particularly liked. Kisame's view of him had dropped even further since last night if that was even possible. He was wearing the Akatsuki's patience thin. He turned toward her and she just looked at him. He'd have to be careful though. He didn't want him to get any ideas.

Sakura was amazed with the view the outside held. It slightly reminded her of Konoha with all the lucious trees. A sudden sharp pain twinged in her chest at her thought of home along with the man she had helped save. She closed her eyes willing the thoughts to go away, but that only made the yearning worse. She looked up at Itachi who was now facing her.

A breeze happend to grace the training area. It made the robe Itachi wear flow in the wind along with his hair. He looked away from her and to the sky. He didn't seem threatened by her presence at all. He shouldn't be. He could kill her in a matter of seconds. The way he looked though right now reminded her a lot of Sasuke. She tried to push that thought out of her head though and to focus on what was going on around her as Itachi looked back at her.

"This is the training area. You may use this at any time," he said as he headed back inside but he stopped short. He tilted his head down looking back at her. This angle of the Uchiha made him look even more threatening to Sakura,"Stay away from Deidara." His tone was flat but she knew he had meant it as a warning. Sakura nodded to portray her understanding. Apparently satisfied with that he opened the door and walked inside Sakura following close behind.

As they entered Deidara was still in the dining area along with Kisame. They were very involved in a meaningless conversation. Sakura could tell Itachi was keeping his guard up slightly as they walked by the table. Sakura felt a shiver go up her spine and knew someone was looking at her. She glanced to the side to see it was Deidara. She sent a glare his way but he merely smirked at her. Sakura hurried to keep up with the Uchiha who had stopped at the top of the stairs noticing the discomfort in the room.

Itachi noticed Deidara was doing everything possible to make the kunoichi uncomfortable. Maybe he hadn't made himself quite clear to the bomb expert. He'd have to take it to higher measures. He was respected by all normally, but Deidara was stubborn that was what had gotten him into the Akatsuki. He'd have to make himself clearer.

He led Sakura back to her room and walked her inside. He shut the door behind him and Sakura looked at him questioningly. He inwardly sighed at the kunoichi. She was going to have lots of problems. On the outside he always stoic and had no expression. Even on the inside he locked away all of his emotions. However, it was something about the kunoichi that triggered certain emotions from him. He couldn't quite understand it.

"Stay here until called," Itachi said as he left the room,"and if it's Deidara," he said pausing,"don't be afraid to use force."

Sakura sighed as the Uchiha left the room. There were only two people she half way felt safe with and one of them was feared even by the Akatsuki members. She sat down on her bed thinking about the 'trip' she had been on today. She definitely knew she didn't like Deidara. She'd just have to becareful and heed the Uchiha's warnings. She sighed as she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. Maybe she could catch some sleep.

Gaara sighed inwardly at the turn of events hours ago Naruto had barged into his office while he was in the middle of a meeting with the representative from the Land of Rivers no less to tell him that Sakura had been captured by the Akatsuki. That was definitely a reason to barge into his office like he did especially with the way he felt about his friends. Gaara had arranged for a team of Suna shinobi to go out the next day to find Sakura.

He looked out the window of his office at the sand. He had grown to like the pink haired kunoichi since she had had several mission stationed in Suna to help train the kunoichis in the hospitals. He had appreciated her help and had gone as far as to apologize for his attack on her in his early adolescence. Sakura had been more than accepting of the apology telling him it wasn't his fault. She was a really kind hearted person. His eyes narrowed at what the Akatsuki might be doing to her even at this very moment. His fist clenched on his desk. A friend of Naruto's was a friend of his, but with the sandstrom coming in from the west he couldn't risk sending any of the shinobi out right now. He hated the desert for that right now.

He was about to rise from his desk when he heard barking from outside. Gaara's normally stoic expression was disturbed as he raised a red eyebrow in question to the noise disturbing the silence of the desert. Suddenly three ninken ran through the window of his office and sat before his desk as Kankuro and two other sand nin barged into the office to protect the Kazekage from whatever had entered. Gaara held up a hand to stop them as he peered at the ninken in front of him. There were three large ninken dogs sitting before him. The largest of the three which was a huge dog spoke to him first.

"Kazekage, we have a message from Hatake Kakashi," the dog spoke his voice very deep an]d intelligent sounding. Gaara nodded in acknowledgement for him to continue. "We are here to check on the status of Uzumaki Naruto as well as inform you that Haruno Sakura has been captured by the Akatsuki. If Uzumaki Naruto has made it here you should be well aware of this fact by now," Gaara nodded, "Hatake Kakashi was also captured by the Akatsuki but escaped. He is now tracking her as we speak."

"Then what are we waiting for." Everyone in the room turned to the blonde haired shinobi who had been there for the majority of the talk. Gaara replied.

"Naruto, we cannot send anyone out to seach for Haruno-san due to the impending sandstorm." Naruto was growing frustrated with the desert.

"I'll go after her myself then," he replied turning from the room.

"Naruto!" Gaara's voice stopped him short. Kankuro was even looking at his brother in shock. He had never raised his voice before. Naruto turned toward the Kazekage, "Do not think that you are the only one in this room who values Haruno-san's life," he said his voice much quieter and calmer," Do you not think that if I was able I would not be out there searching for her myself?" Gaara's fist on the table tightened his other laying on his lap. "She is my friend as well Naruto. I have grown close in such relationships with the kunoichi with her constant presence in the village. She has become a valuable asset and friend to me despite our past,"he spoke the last line with a undetectable but slight guilty tone to his voice. He turned to the ninken, "You will stay with Naruto tonight and tomorrow you will lead him as well as a group of my ANBU shinobi to joing Hatake-san in his search."

The ninken nodded to the Kazekage. "Yes Kazekage." The ninken all walked over to a very frustrated Naruto who left the room with them. The rest of the shinobi followed him out including Kankuro who shut the door quietly behind him.

Gaara sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose crossing the other arm over his chest. He removed his hand and looked out the window once more at the oncoming storm. Just hang on Sakura the Kazekage thought as he turned back to his desk to his slightly more organized stacks of paperwork on his desk.

It was now nighttime. They had been running all day it seemed. Pakkun was slowing down as he sensed Kakashi's fatigue.

"Kakashi, I think we should stop for the night," he said looking back at his master.

Kakashi had been running nonstop all day with the ninken. The scent of Sakura left behind from Kisame had taken them far from the village of Tanigakure. This was a surprise to Kakashi. However, both Konoha and Suna had some of his ninken now. They would be able to track Kakashi wherever Sakura's scent lead them. They were approaching the border of the Land of Rivers and Amegakure. Kakashi couldn't believe he had been dropped off this far from the Akatsuki hide out.

"Hn," he replied as he stopped Uhei behind him breathing heavily. Kakashi sat down at the base of a nearby tree. He leaned his head back against the tree looking up at the stary sky.

"I'm sure Sakura will be fine," Pakkun said breaking the silence.

Kakashi just looked at the dog. Pakkun took this as a sign to shut up. He curled up beside Kakashi and Uhei did so on the other side. The gray hound leaned against the outside of his thigh and Kakashi's hand scratched his side absentmindedly. He was too concerned about Sakura at the moment to really focus on anything else. What had she been about to tell him before that Akatsuki member had come to take her away? His eyes narrowed at the mere memory of how the member had treated her. His fingers clenched the fur on Uhei's side in anger. He would kill him. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest preparing to sleep for the night. He looked up at the night sky. Be safe Sakura. Hold on. I'm coming. 


	3. Chapter 3

For those who don't know:

"ue" - means master. I figured that since the ninken are under Kakashi that they would refer to him this way.

The next few chapters are going to be a bit hectic. I however have a great plan for a future chapter that I can't wait to write.

As a warning. This chapter is going to get really graphic.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters. I just used a mind control jutsu so they'll do my bidding for awhile...(wouldn't orochimaru love that)

Chapter Three

Kakashi awoke while the sky was still dark. Uhei shifted in his sleep on his left and Pakkun stirred at his movement to his right. He Copy nin stretched arching his back against the tree. He rose to his feet feeling a bit weak. He had gone to sleep the night before without eating and left the Akatsuki without a meal. He needed to find sustenance.

He took off into the trees his kunai drawn. Ninjas were trained to survive situations with no food or water. Kakashi had been stuck in many tighter situations. He knew how to survive. And within minutes he had spotted a deer to quench his hunger pains. With one flick of his wrist the kunai was flying through the air at an alarming speed hitting the deer straight in the heart. Quick. Painless. Just how he liked to kill his prey. He flash stepped toward the fallen deer and picked it up over his shoulders. This would be enough for him and his ninken to eat for now. Pakkun, although tiny, ate alot to sustain his body. He reappeared in the camp and sat down. He was feeling a bit weakened and needed to reserve his strength. He jumped up into the trees above him and broke some medium size braches. He landed silently on the ground as the branches fell around him. Uhei and Pakkun dodged out of the way as they fell. Uhei ran and picked up a few in his snout bringing them to Kakashi who laid them in a pile and used a fire jutsu to light the fire. He would head out right after he finished eating.

Pakkun looked at Kakashi in concern. It was obvious he had lost a lot of strength during his time in the Akatsuki's grasp, and he didn't look like he intended to slow down any time soon. Pakkun was surprised Kakashi had lasted as long as he did yesterday. His chakra had smelled weak. Kakashi also appeared distracted to Pakkun. He was never distracted. Pakkun reguarded Kakashi as he hand stuck a few pieces of meet on kunai and let them heat around the fire. He knew he normally wouldn't have actually cooked while on a mission like this. The smell would give them away, but Pakkun knew that he needed this protein. He also knew that the circumstances of this mission were very, very different. They had Sakura. Sakura was a student of Kakashi's and he was close to her. Pakkun imagined he also felt a certain amount of protectiveness over his only female student. A protectiveness that wouldn't have been so intense had she been a male shinobi. Pakkun's brow furrowed deeper. A female shinobi, in the hands of an enemy such as the Akatsuki, who also happened to be the apprentice of the Hokage and was privledged to sensitive information. This was bad.

Pakkun was awoken from his thoughts as a familiar smell drafted to his nose. He saw Kakashi's head shoot to the side as he rose to his feet pulling out a kunai and three shuriken crossing his arms in front of him prepared to release a hail of weapons upon the oncoming chakra signatures. Uhei had risen to his feet with his hackles raised. A snarl graced his face with no noise. He was a ninken trained to not make a sound just like his ninja counterpart. Pakkun and risen to an attack mode to taking one last sniff. Wait.

"Kakashi-ue," he said suddenly, "I smell Leaf Ninja and some of our pack." Kakashi didn't move from his position.

"I can sense their signatures," he said slackening his stance and sitting back down stowing his weapons in his weapons pouch. He shifted the pieces of meet and leaned his back against the tree.

Kakashi inwardly sighed. He was surprised that the Akatsuki had returned to him his weapons pouch. He didn't have his pack full of all of his gear but something was better than nothing. He leaned his head back against the tree crossing his arms behind him and waited for the group of ninja headed his way. He didn't have to wait long as a group of ANBU black ops landed merely feet from him accompanied by his ninken.

"Hatake Kakashi," the obvious leader said monotonously.

"Hello Nara Shikamaru," he said his eyes closed. The ANBU didn't reply right away. Kakashi knew it was him. He had tried to hid his slow drawl to make the tone of his voice unrecognizable, but for Kakashi it was easy to hear that bored sounding edge to his voice.

"Glad to see you in a stable condition," Shikamaru said. "Quite good for someone who had just escaped the Akatsuki." Kakashi didn't have to open his eyes to know what the Nara was asking.

"Haruno Sakura healed me," he replied tilting his head in Shikamaru's direction and opening his eye to look at him, "They allowed her to after she agreed to some conditions and after placing some of her own on them. My healing and release was among those conditions," Kakashi turned his head back to the front and closed his eye,"It is thanks to Sakura that I'm even here," he finished answering the Nara's predicted first five questions. Shikamaru nodded taking in all of this information as Kakashi waited for the question he knew was coming.

"What were their conditions in exchange?" Kakashi paused opening his eye and rising to his feet. Three other ANBU members stood behind Shikamaru leaning against trees or squatting. He recognized two one as Shiranui Genma and Kuzunoha Raido. The third he thought was Yamanaka Ino. She had become a medic like Sakura; however, unlike Sakura her skills were average. Apparently Tsunade was taking this very seriously. Their top strategist and two of the most able bodied shinobi he knew plus a medic. He expected nothing less. He looked over at Shikamaru his eye narrowing.

Shikamaru wasn't use to this kind of look from the Copy nin. He had only ever seen his expression bored. This was different. There was emotion behind this look. Hatake Kakashi was never one to show emotion. However, right now he looked angry and worried at the same time. This made Shikamaru's mind spin. Whatever the conditions were that Sakura had to agree to they were bad.

"She had to become an Akatsuki," he replied quietly. All four of the shinobi on the ANBU reacted at this information as Kakashi had known they would. Genma's crossed arms fell to his sides his head spun to look at Kakashi dead on. Raido had stiffened emmensely and Ino had made a small sound in her throat. "She became an Akatsuki to save my life. This was not something she agreed to willingly. They used me to get to her."

Kakashi felt the soft fur of a ninken by his hand. Shiba. She had felt the drop in his spirit at that information. The change in his voice and emotions were barely detectable by the other ANBU, but to his ninken, who used their noses to sense everything, he was sure it was clear. He threaded his fingers through her fur his gaze not wavering from the ANBU team in front of him. He retracted his hand and the thought of Sakura still in the Akatsuki's clutches hardened his mask once more.

"I originally thought that the Akatsuki were using their old hideout in the Land of Rivers, but since summoning Pakkun it seems they have gone to Amegakure," Kakashi said sharing what little information he had. He walked over to the fire grabbing the meat and held it in front of him. It seemed he would have to eat it on the run.

"Our mission is to find and rescue Haruno-san," Shikamaru said falling back into the ANBU leader's role. Kakashi nodded as he quickly did hand signs for a water jutsu that sucessfully put out the fire behind him and washed all evidence of him ever being there away. Kakashi still holding the meat laiden kunai in his right hand smiled his infamous smile and closed his eye.

"Then what are we waiting for?" All of the ANBU nodded at Kakashi, "Pakkun."

"This way Kakashi-ue." He said Pakkun as he took off all of the ninken and shinobi following behind the small dog.

Kakashi slightly pulled down his mask and ate the deer quickly. He stored the now clean kunai in his weapons pouch before anyone noticed a thing. Closing his eyes for half a second he steadied his train of thought. She was his student and he was worried about her well-being. He tried to focus on the mission. However, he had this nagging feeling in his chest. Something he didn't want to think about at that time. He forced all emotion from his head as he pushed off of the next branch with a chakra enlaiden foot shooting himself forward. I'm coming Sakura. He just hoped they'd get there in time.

XXX

Sakura sighed as she sat on her designated bed her legs crossed. There was a bowl of water in front of her. She had her eyes closed in concentration as she maneuvered her chakra through the bowl forming a ball of water and raising it to her eye level. She was practicing her chakra control along with creating a new medical jutsu. One that extracted poison with water from the body. Since the body was made up of seventy-five percent water it seemed like a good idea. She had her eyes closed and moved the ball around with mere thought and instinct as she would have to do inside of the human body. She had been in there since she had woke up. It felt like forever to her without anywhere to go or things to do, so she studied and practiced like any captive with such liberties would do.

She was awoken from her concentration by a knock on the door. Startled her concentration fell. She nearly lost the ball of water to her lap. She sighed as she caught it once more and opened her eyes. "Come in," she said evenly. The door opened to reveal Tobi in his bright orange mask and hole.

"Hey Saku-...whatcha doing Saku-chan," he asked inquisitively.

"Practicing chakra control," she stated evenly. She had closed her eyes again and moved the ball around the room with mere thought and slight movement from her hands. She opened her eyes when it rested right in front of Tobi. The only indication that he had been following her movements were the tilt of his head. She quickly pulled it back in towards her and set the water back down into the bowl skillfully not getting the sheets or her wet at all.

"Nice job Saku-chan!" Tobi said enthusiastically. This caught Sakura off guard and a slight smile came to her face at his praise. He may be an Akatsuki member but he knew talent when he saw it she guessed. She would take what she would get. "Itachi-san wants to see you in the training area. Come with me Saku-chan," he said holding the door open. Sakura got up from the bed and made her way to the door. Tobi followed her out right behind her.

Sakura didn't fear Tobi as much as she did Zetsu and Hidan or the others that she had seen in passing, and because of this it made her cautious around him. Maybe they were trying to lull her into a false sense of security. That definitely sounded Akatsukish. It had almost gotten to the point of her not knowing if Tobi could defeat Deidara. She shuddered at the mere thought of the man. More like a beast. She had to think though all of the Akatsuki members were in the Akatsuki for one reason and one reason only: they were all very deadly. She tried to clear her head as Tobi came up beside her.

"This way Saku-chan," his sing song voice wasn't so disturbing to her after what had happened the day before with Deidara. She just prayed that she didn't run into him again.

Tobi lead her out to the training area. They hadn't run into anyone else since she had left her room/cell. She had thought that they might be on missions, whatever missions the Akatsuki assigned they couldn't be good, but once they were outside she knew where everyone was...here.

Sakura looked around and saw all of them. Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi, Zetsu, Hidan, Tobi, and Deidara. Much to her dislike. She looked to Itachi who merely nodded to her as she walked toward him Kisame was at his side.

"You called for me," she stated blandly. Itachi nodded.

"Pein wants me to test your abilities as a shinobi," Itachi merely stated. Sakura nodded and looked around.

"Who is my opponent," she asked curiously. She knew that they would pick someone she would never ever be able to beat. It made sense that they would want to test her abilities, and she wanted to prove to them that she was not someone to be reckoned with; however, she needed to make sure that she would survive whatever they threw her way. She looked up at Itachi who was looking at her intently. She met his gaze for the first time. She noticed that his eyes narrowed. She didn't know whether or not that was a good thing. She waited...he would probably use genjutsu on her. However, he merely looked away and said.

"You can choose your opponent. I would suggest staying away from Zetsu and Hidan." Sakura nodded and looked around. That left Tobi, Kisame, himself, and Deidara. How was she suppose to choose her opponent? Suddenly she felt heat coming from behind her. She turned in time to see a fireball flying towards her. She flash stepped to the side as did the two other Akatsuki members behind her.

"What the hell Deidara!" Kisame yelled,"If you ever do that again I'll be the one to kick you ass!" She looked back at a fuming Kisame. He was apparently hot-headed.

"Sorry," Deidara said smirking as he walked up to Sakura,"I just wanted to see how her reaction time was. Not too too shabby. But I was playing nice." Sakura's eyes narrowed at him and her face set into an emotionless mask. "Come on little kunoichi let's play," he said his voice sending chills down her spine.

"Fine," Sakura said shrugging off the Akatsuki robe. She stood ready in her fighting stance. She hated this guy. She didn't want to touch him at all, but she could put up with it as long as the touch would be her face pounding into his. A slight smirk played across her features,"Just know. I don't play nice." Deidara's expression changed into one of interest. She still didn't like the glint in his eyes though. It bothered her.

"Who said I did either."

Itachi watched interested in this exchange. His face revealed nothing as always. He wasn't too excited about her facing Deidara. He did fight really dirty and with the contact they were likely to have during this fight would only make the bomb expert want the kunoichi more. He was manipulative and cunning. He was also a perverse and over confident man who only wanted to violate the kunoichi in front of him. Altogether, this would lead to his downfall to the kunoichi. She was not to be underestimated. Itachi knew this all to well. He wouldn't stop the fight though. He wanted to see how she'd fare against him, but if it got too far he would intervene. It was a test not an actual battle. Pein wanted her alive after all...and so did he.

Kisame smirked. The pinkette had some spunk that was for sure, but Deidara was not one to be taken lightly. He may have been a bomb expert who was more likely to engage her at long range than short, but he was a fierce close quarter fighter as well. But he was too cocky. Watch your back Deidara. She'll pull one over on you if you're not careful.

Sakura's mind was racing. Her first attack. She reached for where her weapons pouch normally would be, but it was gone. She mentally cursed as Deidara pulled out three shuriken and two kunai in his hands. Close quarters. She could do that. She pushed chakra into her fists as she charged him. He threw the shuriken all around her, toying with her she knew. They all sliced articles of her clothing but never broke the skin. A grin spread across his face as she neared him. She threw a punch and he caught her wrist, but his eyes widened as her fist pushed farther down toward his face than he had expected. She was strong. He still had her wrist and did a dexteriotious jump over her landing gracefully on his feet. This was a mistake. Sakura put her other hand on her elbow and pulled slinging him back over her body and as his feet touched the ground she aimed a well placed kick to his side that sent him flying twenty feet into a tree. The tree snapped and fell over behind Deidara who was peeling himself off of the surface shards of bark in his clothes. His face was no longer smiling. Sakura smirked. Underestimate me again. I dare you.

Itachi's lips slightly pulled up at the corner at the sight of Deidara sailing through the air and landing perfectly into a tree. She was pretty good in close combat, but he knew Deidara wouldn't take her on that way again. She had to be able to adapt in order to be an asset in the Akatsuki. She had to be smart enough to out smart her opponent. That wasn't too hard to do with Deidara. He was always blinded by rage. He noticed Kisame's smirk widened beside him. He couldn't blame him.

Sakura saw what looked like to be a clay bird flying toward her. She dodged to the side and let it land feet from her. She used the dusty haze it created to her advantage. She smiled. Kakashi would be proud as her hands flew through seals. Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu. She closed her eyes and sensed Deidara with her chakra. Found him. She directed her jutsu right for him.

Deidara who had been focused on the area that he had thrown the bomb wasn't paying attention to his surroundings that much. He was side swiped by the water jutsu and barely dodged in time. She's good. He started doing hand seals after dodging her attack. Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu. Balls of fire shot all around Sakura. He smirked.

Sakura knew what they were as soon as she saw them coming. She quickly supressed her chakra signature and dodged around them. She was going to use this to her advantage again. She wasn't even singed as she made a hand seal. Kai.

Deidara sighed as he saw his jutsu subside. Sakura appeared to be injured. He smiled. Now was the time to strike. He took a kunai with a piece of wire attached to it. He threw it toward her and in her weakened state it landed with a sickening thud against her back. He ran around her until she was covered in lacerations from the wire. He walked up to her and once more wound the wire around her neck and pulled. All of the lacerations got deeper. Sakura cringed in pain. He smirked. She's gonna pay for resisting me. He didn't care who was watching. He pulled until all of the wire was to the bone. She let out a scream in pain. His smirk only got wider. He then pulled the wire out of her wounds and she screamed louder in pain. Then he took one last kunai out of his pouch and raised it with the intent to kill. "I don't think so." Deidara turned his head to see Sakura standing behind him with a kunai to his throat perfectly unharmed. The illusion faded around him. His eyes widened. She tricked me that little bitch. His face set into anger as she ran the kunai lightly across his neck drawing blood. She had won. Diedara wasn't done though. He turned toward her and started attacking her in earnest. She dodged his attacks left and right.

Itachi was impressed. She had gotten Deidara trapped in a genjutsu, and Deidara too blind with want and sick desire and believed what his eyes told him just as she knew he would. She was smart. It was, however, a medium genjutsu. He had barely had to activate his Sharingan to see. Deidara,realizing he had been beaten, was looking for blood. Sakura was holding her own though. Until now. Deidara threw a bomb in front of Sakura whose only choice was to move back. Deidara had flash stepped behind her and was about to strike. Time to step in.

Itachi's hand enclosed Deidara's wrist as he appeared in front of him and behind a shocked Sakura. "Enough." His eyes narrowed at Deidara who was staring defiantly into his eyes. He looked like he was about to retort but only wrenched the kunai from Itachi's grasp and walked away angrily. "Tobi take Sakura to her room," Itachi said flatly,"She needs to rest." He looked over his shoulder at Sakura whose eyes were wide. She had apparently not seen Deidara or had the forethought to think he would do that. "Always watch you back,"he said looking at her his head merely turned. Sakura didn't say a word and walked away to follow Tobi who was speaking in giddy tone about one thing or the other. Itachi stared off in Deidara's direction. He was angry. Angry enough to do anything. He'd have to watch him.

XXX

Naruto and the Suna nin had been running nonstop since this morning and were currently bounding from one tree to the next. They were well toward the border of Suna and Land of Rivers. Naruto knew that Kakashi would have moved on by now. He had at first been agravated when they couldn't leave immediately due to the sandstorm, but he had understood why. He just wanted to get Sakura back. She was with the Akatsuki who were doing Kami knows what to her. Good thing was Kakashi was going after her and was probably closer to her than he was right now. He gritted his teeth. She had told him to run knowing what it would entail if she stayed behind to face the Akatsuki. Damn it Sakura! Why didn't you just run! He knew that she was only doing it to save him, and he had listened. When he stopped to turn back and help her they were gone. No chakra signature. No hidden traps. Nothing. His fists clenched at his side. He needed to rescue her. He was going to rescue her even if it killed him.

"Hey Naruto," Kankuro said from beneath him. Naruto looked down at him. Gaara had sent Kankuro along with them to be the taichou of the sand nin as Naruto would probably bolt into the action without shouting orders or anything.

"Yeah," Naruto said looking in front of him again.

"We are going to have to stop soon for a little rest. We won't stay long." Naruto gritted his teeth. More time lost.

"Fine." Naruto had slowed down and stopped on a branch. The sand nin below him were all taking a breather on the ground. Naruto sat in his tree leaning against the trunk and looking towards the sky. He had barely closed his eyes when he felt a chakra signature in front of him. Kankuro. Naruto opened his eyes to see the puppet master crouched and staring at him. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Look I know you're worried about Sakura and all," Kankuro started,"But losing your head over her isn't going to help you get her back." Naruto's temper flared.

"I'm not losing my head Kankuro. I just know the Akatsuki. You realize what they could be doing to her right now." Kankuro's face cringed at the mere thought.

"I know Naruto, and we are getting there as fast as we can. But pushing ourselves to where we won't have any fight to give when we get there isn't going to help us either." Naruto gritted his teeth. He had a point. Naruto's logic and stubbornness were waging a war inside of him. He was sure Kankuro could see that.

"I know Kankuro," he said in an exasperated sigh,"You just don't know. When we were on our way to Suna...she stopped...she turned to face the Akatsuki alone. She had told me to run. I did but I thought she was right behind me the whole time, and when I turned around to double back they were gone. All of them gone. No sign of them anywhere. I wasted an hour looking for them before I headed back to Suna. She protected me. I can't just sit here while she's in their hands Kankuro. I just can't. I have to do something." Kankuro remained quiet for a second after this admission.

"Naruto. I don't think she'd want you to run yourself half to hell to where you can't save her at the end of the day because you have no strength left. She is a kunoichi. A Konoha kunoichi and according to you, Gaara, and Tsunade the best of her age-mates. You have to have a little faith in her Naruto. Believe that she can make it because she is what she is. She knew the risks when she chose this lifestyle and she knew the risks when she sacrificed herself for you." Naruto nodded. But then a flash of enlightenment crossed his eyes.

"Something has been bothering me about it though Kankuro," he said his voice catching a slight edge. Kankuro noticed it an looked at him in concern.

"What is it Naruto," he asked looking him straight in the eye.

"If they wanted me. Why did they take Sakura and leave me there? Why would they disappear after knocking her out. I went back to look for her. I was wide open for them to take." Kankuro's eyes widened at the implication of his words. Why would they do that? He just looked at Naruto. Both shinobi had horrific scenarios running through their heads after that.

"I don't know Naruto, I don't know."

XXX

Sakura sighed as she sat in her room again. Tobi had brought her some food earlier and she was now starting to get hungry once again. It had to be nearly dinner time by now. She leaned back against the bed. She had never been this bored in her life. She also swore she was going to get bedsores. If they were going to keep her in her room tomorrow like they had done today she was going to start doing push ups or something. She sat back up and was going to head to the bathroom when the door to her room opened. It was Deidara. Sakura froze. The words of Itachi ringing in her head.

'And if it's Deidara, don't be afraid to use force.' Her eyes widened making her look like prey caught by a hunter and a sick smirk played across his lips. His hands ran through seals as he closed the door behind him.

Sakura made a run for the bathroom but Deidara was too quick. He caught her wrist and threw her clean over her bed and into the other wall. Sakura cringed in pain but rose again her fist aimed for his face. He smirked again and by the time that Sakura realized why it was too late. He had her wrist bound in the chakra supressant bindings. She was so shocked that she didn't notice when he had grabbed her other arm. He pressed his body into hers as he crowded her against the wall. She could feel his member harden. Oh hell no! Sakura pulled at her bindings but it wasn't any use while his hand was still on them. He had her arms raised against her head. She kicked and flailed around but he had her pinned against the wall. She cried out which only fueled his fire. She looked into his eyes that were now ablaze in madness, and for the first time in Sakura's life she wasn't just scared. She was terrified like nothing else she had ever experienced before. She began to fight against him hysterically. Deidara laced an arm around her waist and moved her effortlessly like she was nothing to her bed. His hand left her bindings for a mere second. This was her chance she hit him upside the head with her wrists. He was enraged. He withdrew a kunai from his pouch as he straddled her on the bed his other hand grabbing onto the bindings once more. He sliced at her arms and she cried out in pain.

"Remember I did this to you when I took you from that man's cell. The one you wanted to save. The one you traded your life for in the hopes that he would come and save you. Well, he didn't come did he. Here you are all alone with me. He was suppose to be your savior. Well he isn't here now is he little kunoichi. He can't save you now." Sakura's eyes filled with tears at that realization. His voice had sent chills down her spine. She needed to get away. His words only fueled her to fight more and the more she fought it seemed the stronger he got.

He lowered his kunai to her chest and sliced open her shirt along with the center of her bra. She felt exposed and tried to fight hard against him to no avail. She screamed again hoping, praying that someone would come to her aid, but no one came to save her. She was all alone. She felt his lips press against her breasts. It made her feel disgusted with herself. She tried to elbow him but he wasn't going to be moved now. He had her right where he wanted her. He kissed a trail down to the top of her black pants. And then he used the kunai to strip her of that too. She was laying on the bed fully exposed. She was shamed. She looked away from him silent tears pouring from her face as he raised off of her momentarily to unzip his pants. She didn't have the strength to fight him off anymore. She had given up. He pressed down upon her one last time before attempting to adjust himself. Then he did it. In one single move he robbed her of her most precious gift. She cried out in agony and pain tears flowing freely down her face. She renewed her futile fight for a few moments. Sakura closed her eyes.

Suddenly there was a huge crash. Sakura opened her eyes to see Itachi accompanied by Kisame. Itachi looked normal, calm it was Kisame who was giving off vibes. He was pissed off. Deidara pushed off of her and stood on the side of her bed a smirk playing across his face. They had been too late to stop him. Sakura had turned over and was attempting to cover herself. She could hear heavy footfalls coming toward Deidara and then suddenly there was a slam.

"What the fuck Deidara!" Kisame was visibly shaking in anger. He may have been an Akatsuki member, but he sure as hell didn't approve of what had just happened in this bedroom. "You're gonna pay for this!" He growled low. No woman should ever be treated that way. Kisame was too distracted to see Itachi moving behind him. He walked over to Sakura she had rolled over and was shaking trying to cover up most of her exposed body. He took off his cloak and layed it over the fragile, broken woman. Then he turned back to Kisame and Deidara. On the outside he looked like he was fine. On the inside was a completely different story. He was pissed. It may not have shown in his tone, on his face, or in his actions so far, but all hell was about to break loose for Deidara.

"Kisame," he said quietly. Kisame turned to look at him. He was still shaking in anger,"Turn him towards me and make sure his eyes are open." Kisame smirked as the smirk on Deidara's face vanished and he turned instantly paled. Itachi was looking at Deidara who was forcing his eyes to close.

"No, NO!" Deidara's voice rang out in the room. Kisame had him in a magnificent body hold. All the rest of Deidara's body was pinned under his legs leaving his arms free to keep his eyes open. Itachi looked down upon Deidara. Kisame had enough sense to have his eyes shut."You can't do this!" Deidara spat venomously. "You were ordered not to use your technique on other Akatsuki members by Pein!" Itachi's eyes narrowed. Never. Ever insult an Uchiha.

"I think Pein would make an exception for this case," Itachi said evenly,"Once I tell him what happened here," he said for the sake of Sakura,"However, that would take too long. I'll punish you now and tell him later. I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission. What you have done is unforgivable,"he said as he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan,"Welcome to hell."

XXX

Kakashi inwardly sighed as they reached the border of The Land of Rivers and Amegakure. It had taken them all day to get there. They were all really worn out. Even the ninken who loved to run. Kakashi collapsed at the base of the nearest tree. Shikamaru was turned to the rest of the group barking orders to secure the camp. Kakashi was broke out in a cold sweat. He had really pushed himself today. He hadn't let anyone know it of course. He looked over to see Ino walking toward him.

"Hatake-san, I need you to take this soldier pill. It will help you regenerate you chakra levels for tomorrow," she said evenly. Okay apparently someone had noticed. He stared down at the pill that was now in his hand."And don't try to avoid it okay. Sakura would kill me if you were not taken care of under my watch." Her hands were on her hips. Kakashi smirked. Apparently his bed side manner proceeded him. He gave her his infamous smile. She turned away to give him some privacy. He popped the soldier pill in his mouth and chewed it. It tasted bitter. He hated soldier pills with a passion, but he knew that if they were going to attack the Akatsuki tomorrow he would need every bit of help he could get. He took a swig of water from his canteen to try and get rid of the taste but it only made it worse as it always did.

"Shikamaru," Kakashi said quietly,"what's our plan?" Shikamaru turned around he was in his contemplative stance. Kakashi knew it all too well from having worked with the young shinobi.

"Give me every shred of information you have about the Akatsuki compound." Kakashi inwardly sighed laying back against the tree his eyes closed and face turned upward. He racked his brain for every bit of information he could remember and then began to speak.

"The Akatsuki compounds are all like in architectual design. If you've seen one you've seen them all. The prisoners are kept in a dark dungeonesc looking hallway with torches lighting them. There are random places within those hallways that are concealed entrances. They use a particular jutsu to reveal those openings. I was not able to copy that jutsu. My sharingan was completely covered for the duration of my time there. They were very careful with how they handled me," he said pausing and looked to Shikamaru. Apparently Genma, Raido, and Ino had returned during his and Shikamaru's talk and were all looking at him in what he assumed to be concentration. He couldn't really tell though due to the masks. "They have separate living quarters for the member. I assume that Sakura has been moved to that residential area by now. I would assume," he said emphasizing. Shikamaru nodded. "And don't forget I sent some ninken to Suna. They will likely be on there way here too accompanied by Naruto." Shikamaru nodded.

"Do you know what Akatsuki members reside at the compound right now?" Kakashi sighed.

"From what I know, Tobi, Zetsu, Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, and Deidara." Shikamaru nodded. "They were all in the room when Sakura was forced to make a choice." Kakashi was quiet as Shikamaru thought all of the information over. "Oh, the entrances are usually underground. They appear as some sort of cave to the naked eye. It's a genjutsu. A simple one," he said eyeing Shikamaru who had looked apprehensive at dealing with genjutsu,"Nothing that Genma can't take care of." Genma jumped at his name being spoken. He hadn't known that Kakashi had identified him. Shikamaru nodded ignoring the identification.

"Alright. The smartest thing would be to stick together. Lure them out into the open. Their advantage are the twists and turns of the halls and the seal needed to release the hidden passages. You could try tomorrow to see if you can spot them with the Sharingan Kakashi. We'll need to take a hostage to get the seal, you could follow a member that is going to perform the seal, but our best option would more than likely be to let Ino use her mind control jutsu to find it. We'll more than likely need it to rescue Sakura. I also think we should wait for the sand nin and Naruto to get here. Knowing the Kazekage, he will have sent some of his ninja out to assist Naruto in rescuing Sakura." Kakashi added at the end.

"If the mind control jutsu fails we could just tell Sakura to start punching through walls." He smiled his infamous smile. Kakashi felt the tension melt away around him. That was a good sign everyone needed to relax a little before tomorrow. Before Konoha basically declared war on the Akatsuki for the whole world to see. Kakashi didn't care what the political downfalls of this action would lead to. He didn't care what some uptight politician had to say about his future actions. And more than likely he wouldn't live to hear it anyway. He was already down for the count in his strength. He hadn't fully recovered from his wounds and he knew he was in no shape to fight the Akatsuki. He knew he would more than likely die tomorrow, but he would die saving Sakura and that's all he cared about. He felt that tight feeling in his chest once more. This time he payed attention to it. He recognized what it was, but his mind refused to believe it. He sighed leaning back against the tree closing his eyes. Tomorrow Sakura. Tomorrow I'll be there. Tomorrow I'll save you.

XXX

Sakura hadn't felt more disgusting in her entire life. She couldn't move. All of her energy had been sapped from her. She was just lying on her bed in a depressed comatose state. She didn't care about the world around her anymore. She had been broken. She had been hurt. She had been violated. She hated Deidara and what he had done to her, but she didn't have enough energy to hate right now. She had been fed by Tobi earlier who had come in with food. No one had said a word to her, and when Itachi had left three hours after he had told Kisame to hold down Deidara he hadn't taken his cloak with him. She didn't turn around to face them, but she did see Kisame carrying Deidara over his shoulder limp and unconscious. She didn't care.

She heard the door open again, but she didn't care to see who it was. There was nothing more that any of them could do to her. She closed her eyes. She felt a hand place on her side, but she didn't move. The hand was accompanied by weight on the edge of her bed. Sakura kept her eyes closed.

"Sakura," said the quiet voice she recognized all too well. She didn't move. She just stayed where she was. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't care if she angered him. She felt the hand on her side travel to her back and another hand laid on her side. He started to roll her over. Sakura gave up and let him. She just looked at him. She didn't care to hide her emotions anymore.

Itachi was shocked. It was the same look that Sasuke had given him the night he had killed off the Uchiha clan. Like he had lost everything. Like she had just lost everything. A twinge in his chest resounded painfully to his heart. He wanted nothing more but to comfort her, but after what she had just gone through it was likely that she didn't want to be touched. Especially by men. Even though he had tortured Deidara for nearly three hours straight which had, for one taken a lot out of him and, left the Akatsuki member nearly incompasitated. A minute in one of his genjutsus felt like an eternity, and he hadn't been gentle with him. He would have to answer to Pein for his actions later but he didn't care. He refocused on her eyes. They were now brimming with tears. He moved his hand from her back and laid it gently on her cheek. He felt a tear as it ran across her face. Damn you Deidara. He could feel her unsteady breathing under his hand on her side. Then suddenly she lurched forward wrapping her arms around his waist and buried her face in his lap. He was in shock. His eyes slightly widening at the contact that he hadn't had in years. He looked down at her to see her shoulders tremble. Itachi weaved his arms beneath the sobbing kunoichi and set her fully on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into the crook of his neck. He scooted towards the head board and just let her get it out. He couldn't pretend he knew what it felt like to be raped. He couldn't pretend to be able to empathize with her degree of loss and hurt. He had no words, nothing to say. All he could do was hold her, and even this felt alien to him. He closed his eyes and just pretended it was Sasuke when he was younger. He wrapped an arm around her waist and the other one he snaked up her back letting his hand rest on her head. He leaned back against the wall and inwardly sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Sakura couldn't begin to think of why she had done what she did but right now she didn't care. In normal circumstances she would have wondered why Itachi had let her lay on him much less cry on him. She couldn't bring herself to think. She could only cry, and that's what she did until she passed out.

Itachi couldn't bring himself to leave her once she had fallen asleep. After seeing what Deidara had done earlier he felt a degree of protectiveness over the girl. Kisame had as well he could tell. They wouldn't let anyone ever touch her like that again. No one deserved this. Itachi's grip on the girl slightly tightened with that thought. He shifted slightly trying to get comfortable in the position he would be in for the rest of the night. 


	4. Chapter 4

Alright so the last chapter was a bit rough for me to write in all honesty, even though it wasn't that graphic. I'd appreciate a little bit more feedback on that particular occurence in the story. It had to be done though for a set up later in the story. I hope you're enjoying it and as always review.

-Requiem

Prescripto: I thought it would be a different angle on how things were going as to the normal human point of view. I am glad you are enjoying it.

Inume-blue: I am glad you are enjoying it. I appreciate your opinion.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters. I just used a mind control jutsu so they'll do my bidding for awhile...(wouldn't orochimaru love that)

FYI this happens before the Fourt Shinobi War against the Akatsuki.

And on with the story.

Chapter Four

Sakura's body felt sore and her mind a little dulled as she came back to reality. She didn't need to question why. Unfortunately, in Konoha she had dealt with the occasional rape victim. They always told her about this all over soreness they felt that she had summed up to struggling against the attacker. Now she knew it was more than just physical soreness. It was emotional too. And as a shinobi with all of the training she had done with Tsunade to get her to where she was today in her strength, she had never felt this drained nor her body this tired. She opened her eyes and blinked. There was no light in the room. No windows to let the sun in if it was even shining today. She was about to try and shift her postion when she realized she wasn't alone in her bed. Then it all came back to her. Itachi.

She looked up at the man who held her in his arms as her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her. He appeared to be asleep, but after traveling with Sasuke as a teenager she knew better than to believe the Uchiha facade of sleep. He could very well be awake. She just looked at him. He seemed to peaceful and calm like this. He didn't really seem like he could actually be an Akatsuki member like this. He was too gentle looking, too comfroting. Especially with what he had done for her yesterday. At the time she hadn't wanted to think about it, but the Uchiha had tortured Deidara for raping her. She knew it was gruesome and a very horrid punishment, but she couldn't help feeling grateful to him.

She awoke herself from her thoughts and looked at his eyes. Those eyes that had harmed so many, hurt so much, and destroyed so many lives had avenged her. She lifted her hand to touch his eyes but hesitated. She knew that his eyes were probably taking a tole from the amount of abuse they'd had due to the extravagant use of his Mangekyo Sharingan. She had healed Kakashi's eye more than once after he had used it for an extended amount of time. It wasn't his natural eye, so it was probably more bothersome to him than it was to Itachi. However, with the lack of medical attention he had more than likley recieved, his eyes were probably deteriorating.

Sakura raised her hands one more time to cover Itachi's eyes. Her hands started glowing a soft green and she closed her eyes. She could see the nerve endings flowing from his eyes to his brain. They looked damaged. So much so that she couldn't believe that Itachi could see using his normal vision anymore. It was impossible. This thought struck her. Itachi was blind. She bit her lower lip. She had a debt to pay. He had avenged her. She coursed some more of her chakra into his eyes healing the nerve endings, the cones, the irises, all the way to the attachment at the brain. She felt a twinge of the nerves moving back into place with her chakra. Suddenly, she felt a hand lay itself on her own. She opened her eyes widening. Itachi's hand was resting on hers. He gently pulled her right hand away from his eye. He looked at her straight in the face with no emotion on his mask at all. He just stared at her.

"Let me finish," she said lowering her gaze from him. She suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of pity for the man before her. He had been in so much pain, yet he had shown none of it. He had kept up the emotionless mask that he wore now for such a long time. What kind of life was that? Living a lie. Hiding the pain, the sorrow, the happiness, the joy, the anger, the hurt that you felt all of your life only to replace it with nothing. To replace it with stoicism.

She felt Itachi's hand slide off of hers and she replaced her hand on his other eye. "This is going to hurt a little." The only reply she got was a soft 'Hn.' She mentally rolled her eyes. That must have been another Uchiha thing.

Knowing that he was now awake, Sakura shifted in to where she was straddling Itachi. She could get a better chakra flow this way and it was easier to work on his eyes from this position as awkward as that may seem to anyone else. Sakura was a medic though and was use to being in and seeing awkward things. She closed her eyes again as she forced more of her chakra into his eyes reinforcing the shape and flow of his own chakra through his eyes. She felt his body twitch underneath her hands. She couldn't blame him. The eyes were a sensitive organ and rerouting chakra that had once flowed a certain way due to damage was not such an easy, painless process. Once satisfied that his chakra was righted, Sakura removed her hands from his face and wrapped the cloak around her front snugly. Itach's eyes, that had been closed, opened and looked at her. He didn't say a thing. He was just looking at her.

Itachi, in his entire life, had never been shocked like this. He had been awake when the kunoichi had stirred, but not really knowing if she was fully awake he had stayed put. She may have been a woman but she was still a kunoichi and still deadly. Yesterday's test had shown as much. When she had stopped moving he had settled himself into trying to relax again, but then she started to move again. He had grown curious at her movement when he felt her hands over his eyes. They had felt warm at first, then the warmth and spread from her hands to his eyes and into his eyes. She was healing him. She was fulfilling why she was captured in the first place, and no one had even told her to do it. His expression when he had removed her hand from his face had not given away anything, but he had been staring at her in wonder and curiosity. Why was she healing him. He had further been puzzled at her drop in tone when she had asked him to let her finish. She wanted to heal him. That didn't answer his question, but he wasn't about to argue. It had hurt like she said it would much more than Itachi had thought it would, but now that he was looking at her with clear vision, much clearer than he had in a long time, he noticed things about her that he hadn't before. Like the way she had a sharp jaw, a subtle nose, how her hair was made up of different shade of pink instead of one color, her wrists were slender, her face was an oval shape, and her eyes looked sad. He inwardly sighed. He had been in pain for so long he hadn't realized how much of a hinderance it had been. He didn't have to keep the sharingan up all the time to see anymore.

A movement of the kunoichi had broken his thoughts. She was smiling at him, but her eyes were sad. Why?

"Sakura." He said as a start trying to think of what he should say next, but she beat him to it.

"You're welcome," she said softly. She wasn't looking at him," It was the least I could do." The realization hit him. She was paying him back. He could understand that. He had subconsciously crossed his arms in front of his chest. Sakura had done the same more than likely to pull his cloak around her more securely since she hadn't changed out of her tattered clothing from yesterday. He didn't plan on taking his cloak back for awhile anyway. He had another one. His thoughts were broken by her voice. "What did you do to him?" Itachi reguarded her for a second. No reason to lie.

"I tortured him." Sakura's eyes widened.

"For how long?" Her quiet voice was the only thing that broke the silence in the room.

"Three hours." She looked up into his now onyx eyes and her next question surprised him.

"Did it hurt you?" It had taken a lot out of him he had to admit, but he had always been in so much pain that it didn't register most of the time.

"I don't know." He answered honestly. Sakura had seemed to understand that answer.

"Your eyes were in bad shape Itachi," she started,"I know what you are and that your blood trait is a lot of why you are feared, but your eyes will have to heal from me healing you. I would advise you not to use the Mangekyo for at least a couple of days." Itachi just looked at her. She may have not liked the Akatsuki, but she was a medic and in that sense she would be honest.

"Hn." Sakura sighed that was better than nothing. She rose from his lap that she had been sitting on her hand clutching the front of his robe to hold the material together. She walked began to walk off of the bed, but Itachi caught her hand. She looked down at him curiously. "You won't have to worry about him bothering you. He has learned his lesson." Sakura looked away and nodded as she headed toward the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Itachi lifted off of the bed and stepped onto the floor. He left her room but was stopped short by a voice. Itachi looked down to see Kisame sitting beside her door.

"How is she?" He asked. His tone was flat but Itachi could tell he was genuinely curious.

"Better." He responded. Kisame nodded rising to his feet.

"Good. I'm going to go get Tobi to bring her some breakfast." Itachi didn't respond as he walked away from Kisame who left in another direction.

Itachi had been halfway to his room when he saw Tobi standing by his room. Itachi's expression didn't change as he lifted a hand to open the door.

"So she healed you," said a slightly colder voice. It was Madara. Itachi didn't give anything away even though he was curious.

"Yes."

"And you can see perfectly?"

"For now," he responded flatly,"Time will tell if it is permanent or not." Madara was quiet for a second.

"It seems your little kunoichi has actually proven very useful, Itachi. She may be Akatsuki worthy afterall." Itachi said nothing. "I was doubtful when you asked Pein to acquire her for medical attention to you specifically. However, now I can see that she could possibly be a great asset with a little persuasion. Even after the incident she seems to be rebounding." Itachi's eyes narrowed involuntarily at Madara. Madara didn't miss a thing. "What's this Itachi? Emotion? Kunoichi's not getting soft on you, is she?" Itachi remained silent. "Or perhaps it's more devistating. You could possibly be developing feelings for the pink haired medic, huh?" Madara's tone would appear teasing, but to Itachi he knew he was being condescending.

"There is nothing humorous about what happened to her." Madara scoffed.

"Please. As if you really do care about her welfare. You just want her to be your personal medic." Itachi felt heat rising in his chest. It was something he hadn't felt in a long, long time but still could recognize immediately. Anger. He bit back a snarl that was growing in his throat and returned his tone to flat as he looked away from Madara who was also looking straight ahead.

"My feelings have nothing to do with the morality of Deidara's actions against an Akatsuki member."

"So you took it upon yourself to punish him? Pein won't like that." Itachi remained calm.

"I'd rather ask forgiveness than permission. The state she was in was unforgivable. Even you know the one rule we all abide by. Deidara broke it. I am sure Pein will understand my actions." Madara turned toward him scoffing.

"You better hope he does." Madara said lifting off of the wall.

"Kisame is looking for Tobi," Itachi said as he opened his door. Madara practically growled.

"I know." Then he walked away and melted into his carefree, happy second personality.

Once inside his own room Itachi sighed inwardly. He sat down on a chair inside his room and closed his eyes doing exactly what Sakura had asked him to do. Rest.

XXX

Kakashi was the first one awake as he always was. He stood up leaning against the tree to his back careful not to disturb his canine counterparts. They would need their strength today. He looked into the sky. It was very overcast and forebode of the rain that was sure to come. He smiled to himself. Even the weather had been accomodating of today's event. He could hear someone else rise to their feet behind him. He didn't care to turn around to see who it was. They would make their presence known to him soon enough. He heard footsteps behind him and they stopped a foot behind him.

"Sleep well Kakashi," the tone drawled.

"Just fine Shikamaru, how about you," Kakashi asked turning around to the young ANBU Taichou.

"Well enough," he replied crossing his arms over his chest. He stayed where he was not wanting to wake the ninken either. He was more than happy to keep this time to themselves knowing full and well that both of them were contemplating the fight ahead.

"Good. You'll need your strength for today," Kakashi said staring in the direction that Pakkun had gestured toward last night. The supposed location of the Akatsuki. Kakashi's mask hardened. This was not going to be an easy task. He just hoped that there wouldn't be too many casualties.

"Hn," was Shikamaru's response,"When do you think Naruto will make his appearance. Kakashi couldn't help the concealed smile that came to his face at the thought of his former student.

"Just when we need him, like always." He couldn't see it but Shikamaru had smirked as well. The thought of the energetic blonde bounding in to save the day in their mind for the moment. His thoughts of heroism and success. If it were only as easy as he said it was, and both shinobi knew it. Someone else stirred behind them. Kakashi imagined that Genma and Raido would more than likely be the next to rise. Movement by his feet caught his attention to see Shiba and Pakkun wakening from their slumber. Shiba stood and sniffed the air. Her tail wagged as the sight of her master met her eyes. Kakashi absent mindedly rubbed her ears.

"Can I count on your ninken to fight with us?" Shikamaru asked quietly. Kakashi nodded. "Good, we'll need all the help we can get." Kakashi's gaze went to the sky once more.

"I know." He lifted his hand from Shiba as the rest of the ninken rose to their feet groggily. Secretly Shiba, Pakkun, and Bull were his favorites of his ninken though he loved them all. He could vaguely remember snapshots from his memory of his parents both with either Bull, Shiba, or Pakkun. Psychologically he guessed that was the reason for his favoritism since he had no real memory of either of his parents. At least none that had made sense to him as a child. Now that he was older the memories he did have were all ones that lead up to Sakumo's suicide. Pakkun's voice was what tore Kakashi from his thoughts.

"Kakashi-ue," he said looking up concerned at his master,"when are we heading out?" Kakashi tilted his head back looking at Shikamaru out of the corner of his eye.

"In an hour," Shikamaru said evenly,"we want to maintain the element of surprise. The cloud cover will also help us a great deal." Kakashi nodded. Pakkun nodded.

"Kakashi-ue, we'll need to eat before we leave today." Kakashi nodded.

"You and Shiba go. Be quiet." Pakkun nodded.

Pakkun could practically see much less smell the anticipation and tension radiating off of his master. He knew that this was going to be a huge fight between the Leaf and Akatsuki. Kakashi was going to have a hard time, especially since he was at half strength already. The rest had done him some good, but Pakkun could still smell that his chakra wasn't quite up to par yet. He had recovered the majority of it, but in a fight like this Kakashi would use and need all of it. Pakkun had seen him do it many times before. Slight concern for his master colored his thoughts as him and Shiba took off into the woods to find nourishment for their pack-mates.

XXX

Naurto was running full speed through the woods the Sand nin running behind him. They had all woken up early to get a head start on the day. Luckily, today was cool so it wouldn't take too much out of them especially the Sand nin who were use to the heat. They were half way through the Land of Rivers by this point. In two to three hours they'd be near Amegakure. Naruto was surprised the Akatsuki had gotten this far, but Amegakure was noted for not being the best of places to live with all of the rough crowd it hosted. He glanced down at Bull for the fifth time this morning.

"Hey Bull, how close are we?" The gigantic dog wasn't even breaking a sweat from running as one might think. It had impressed Naruto how something that big could move that fast without having to rest. The perks of being a ninken were astonishing.

"Two hours at the most Uzumaki-san," he responded as calm as he had been the first time Naruto had asked. Kankuro was impressed with the dog. The patience of Jobe that one. Naruto's teeth gritted once more as he pushed himself just a little further than he had been.

Kankuro couldn't blame Naruto for his drive. Had Gaara been the one captured he would have felt the same way, and more than likely they would have already been at Amegakure. While the Suna nin were indebted to the kunoichi they wouldn't extend as much energy toward her retrieval as they would their own Kazekage; however, when Gaara had assigned the mission to the team he had told them to be prepared to die and that they were the Leaf's allies. The retrieval of their medic was to be treated like a retrieval of himself. Kankuro had to admit that he had also grown to like the pink haired kunoichi. Aside from her infamous temper she was bareable. She had shown on her many trips to Suna that she genuinely cared about the people she had treated and she had also saved his life...twice. He sighed as he mulled this over. Apparently Gaara had felt the same way. He had never heard his brother speak that passionately about something before. It was admittingly moving. A smirk spread across his face, his little brother was shaping into the Kazekage well. He was proud.

"Naruto," Kankuro said catching the blonde off guard as he had been lost to his own thoughts,"with the weather like it is, we shouldn't have to stop before reaching Amegakure." Naruto's eyes lightened up slightly and he nodded. He was moved to get to Sakura as soon as possible.

Naruto's teeth gritted again as he pushed all of the thoughts of what had happened to Sakura out of his head. She had to be fine. She was going to be fine. He would save her.

XXX

Deidara had seldom woke up with a splitting headache as he did this morning. He remembered everything Tsukuyomi. Itachi's living hell. He didn't know how long he had been there, but it had felt like three eternities to him. His entire life over three times. Itachi had brought out all of his worst memories, best nightmares, and deepest fears. The bastard would pay. He wondered how long he had been out. He tried to move but was stopped by a hand. He looked up to see Tobi.

"Tobi? How long-"

"Just a day," Tobi replied. Deidara noticed his tone was slightly cold. "You should have been out for the better part of a month, but it's a good thing I was feeling generous enough to help you out." Deidara just stared up at the man. Who was he? However, right now Deidara didn't care. He just wanted revenge.

"Where is Itachi?" Deidara asked his voice dripping with venom. Tobi had backed away from the bed slightly.

"He's in his room. I wouldn't move if I were you though. You need to lay down for at least thrity more minutes to regain control of your body." Deidara sighed and then looked at him a question on his tongue. "I fixed you something that helps to deplete the Tsukuyomi's effects." Deidara just nodded. He wouldn't question it. It was working.

Madara had his arms crossed looking at the shinobi in front of him. He had withstood the genjutsu of his and Itachi's sharingan quite well. He hadn't expected him to recover slowly. What he had told Deidara wasn't exactly a lie. He had just used a reversal on Deidara. It was much like extracting a poison using his own Sharingan. It had worked magnificently. It would come in handy if Itachi ever decided to oppose him. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. That Itachi. He didn't know whether or not to believe that he was actually starting to care for the kunoichi after a simple healing. Was that all it took to open his heart after he had gone through so much to darken it: a gentle touch? He inwardly scoffed. It wasn't like Itachi was completely afterall. He had been ordered to kill off his entire clan by Sarutobi. The secret mission. He killed off his mother, father, cousins, relative, his lover, but in the end he couldn't harm his brother even with Madara's help. Weakness. That's all that was, weakness. He was too kind hearted. His heart still held emotion. He could still be turned. Madara would have to watch him closely now that the kunoichi was around lest he be swayed.

Deidara didn't care if Pein was going to discharge Itachi from the Akatsuki. He wanted to kill him himself. His pride was hurt and his body even more so. He would get to the Uchiha. He seemed to at least care about the kunoichi, so he would strike him where it hurt first. He would kill the kunoichi. Pein and his plans be damned!

XXX

Sakura had long since taken her bath. She was now clad in new black clothes that had appeared on her bed mysteriously after she had entered the bathroom. She was guessing it was courtesy of Itachi. She sat down on the edge of her bed and inwardly sighed. She felt much better...well at least a little. It's what she had to keep telling herself. She kept getting the urge to cry and breakdown. She willed herself not to saying that it was natural feeling for a rape victim to feel that way. Her eyes were downcast and didn't hold their normal shine. In a fit of anger and pain she had broken the mirror in her bathroom when she got out of her bath. She had felt disgusted by her own reflection. She had a small scratch on her hand the she could have easily healed. She left it there as a reminder. It was something visible. Something that could symbolize the amount of pain and anguish she had gone through even though no visible scars had appeared.

She layed her head in her hands and closed her eyes. Would she ever be the same? Probably not. She felt a tear touch her fingers. She wiped it away willing herself not to cry. She was successful for now. She closed her eyes again. Her heart was aching. It ached for home, it ached for freedom, it ached for her life, but most of all it ached for the man who had invaded and taken it over. The man who she belonged to. The man who she yearned for. The man who held her heart. The man she loved and had never told him. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She willed them not to fall, but they fell. The memory of Kakashi in her life was too much. The way he had looked when she last saw him. The way he had looked that night they went out for drinks. She felt herself tremble at the memory.

Flashback

Sakura laughed as she and Kakashi exited the hospital. Her white coat flowed out behind her in the wind. The Spring winds were warm and inviting. The festivals would start soon. She looked over at the shinobi beside her. He was walking with his hands in his pockets but his book was no where to be seen. He appeared to be taking in the sights and sounds around him. The wind was ruffling his gravity defying hair. She couldn't help but smile at him.

"How's the hospital treating you, Sakura?" He asked his tone even. She knew it was his happy tone though.

"It's fine. But I've been itching to get a mission," she admitted her arms hanging loosely at her sides. She closed her eyes as another wind blew through her pink hair. After being in the stuffy hospital it felt good.

"I can imagine," he said slightly smiling,"I never figured you one for settling down." Sakura looked at him.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Kakashi just smiled.

"I just don't see you settling down into the hospital routine, getting married, having kids, taking a break from the shinobi lifestyle anytime soon." She looked at him incredulously. "What it's only natural, Sakura. You're a woman and one day you'll find someone you will fall in love with. There's nothing wrong with that." Her gaze softened, but her brows furrowed together in sadness. He spoke of something he didn't have.

"That's not necessarily true Kakashi. I mean look at you. You've made a career out of it, and you are still single for how many years now?" She said a slight tease to her voice. Kakashi managed a chuckle.

"That's because I'm a stubborn old man." Sakura looked at him knowing there was more to the explanation than that. He didn't have to say it though. She already knew. She had seen him at the memorial stone too many times. She always knew where to find him and at what time he would be there. It saddened Sakura to think about it. He was still holding onto them. His failures. Or what he thought were his failures. His friends that had left him behind. The ones that he had loved. She imagined he had feared letting anyone else get that close to him again. It was why he had been so distant with his students. So distant with her. Sakura looked forward her tone dropping.

"I doubt that's the real reason." She saw Kakashi look at her out of the corner of her eyes. She looked back over at him and smiled. He smiled back at her.

He looked so strong, capable, untouchable. She could hardly see him dying anytime soon. She shook those thoughts from her head. Suddenly someone's hand on her back broke her from her thoughts. She looked over to Kakashi shocked to see him closer to her. He was still smiling. Then he let his hand drop back to his pocket and looked forward, but he didn't make to move away from her like they had been before.

"Where would you like to get some drinks?"

"Anywhere is fine. As long as you pay your half of the tab this time." Kakashi chuckled and Sakura smiled.

End Flashback.

Her tears fell in earnest now as sobs threatened to rack her body. She wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to calm herself. She needed to get a grip. He was alive. He was well. He had been set free. He was okay. She had healed him. He was Kakashi. He was a survivor and he would be just fine. Her breathing slowed down as she repeated that in her head over and over again. She finally was steady and she raised her head to look to the door. She was hungry. She needed to go find some food. She didn't really want to leave her room. She knew Deidara would be out of comission for awhile due to the Tsukuyomi. She had seen Itachi use it on Kakashi before, well she had seen the after effects. She rose to her feet and started toward the door full intending to head toward the kitchen.

XXX

Kakashi popped one last soldier pill into his mouth as Shikamaru had gathered everyone around him to go over the plan one more time. It was simple. They were to lure the Akatsuki out of their comfort zone, attack the members that were most weak to their chakra nature, and rescue Sakura. Kakashi's target would be Kisame, but he had informed Shikamaru that there was another Akatsuki member who had his name on him. He had made a promise. A promise to himself, to Sakura, and to that member. A promise he intended to keep.

Kakashi had zoned out the strategist for the time being. They had already discussed the plan earlier this morning. Shikamaru was to take Itachi, Genma Tobi, Radio Hidan, Ino was to jump out and attack whoever came close to her, but her main goal was to use her mind control jutsu to free Sakura from her cell. Quick. Clean. Straight to the point. The only problem was this was an attack, a military operation for lack of a better term, and in Kakashi's experience as a shinobi, when dealing with military operations not to mention the Akatsuki who tended to throw a wrench into things, nothing ever went according to plan.

"Kakashi," Shikamaru's voice woke him from his thoughts,"We are ready to go when you are." Kakashi, who had been leaning against a tree with his hands in his pockets, stood up and stretched slightly a menacing looking coming across his face. He just smiled.

"Then what are we waiting for." Kakashi turned around and Pakkun was already running to lead them to the hideout. It usually took a lot to rile up the silver haired shinobi, but this time it was different. This time it was personal. Shinobi code be damned. They were all going to pay. He was the Copy nin of Konoha who had copied over a thousand jutsus. And in this fight he planned on using every single one of them. 


	5. Chapter 5

So I had to leave you with a cliff hanger for the last chapter it just seemed appropriate. I tried to get this one out as soon as I could. I hope you are enjoying it so far. I am. Keep reviewing. The readers are a writers inspiration.

-Requiem

Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters. I just used a mind control jutsu so they'll do my bidding for awhile...(wouldn't orochimaru love that)

And onto the story.

Chapter Five

Kakashi was crouched behind a boulder with Pakkun at his side who had his nose lifted into the air. He had stopped behind the boulder to affirm the position of their target. Pakkun took one more deep breath then turned to Kakashi.

"Yes, Kakashi-ue, this is the place. Sakura's scent is strong. There's little of it but it is strong. She has to be here."

Pakkun looked at Kakashi whose eyes were trained on the scene of a forest before them. A genjutsu from the smell of it. A good one. His mind wasn't exactly on the genjutsu at the moment though. He was more focused on Kakashi. He had seemed to recover remarkably. His chakra flow smelled strong, the adrenaline had intertwined with it. This gave his chakra a boost in power. It would do since he wasn't still fully healed. This wasn't what caught the pug's attention. It was the look in his master's eyes. The driven, overbearing bloodlust he saw there. Whatever Kakashi had seen, whatever they had done, or whatever Kakashi had thought they would do had definitely affected him. Pakkun had only ever seen him like this one other time. It had been when Obito was killed. Concern for the kunoichi threaded through the pug. He hoped she would be okay, but more than that he pitied the person who had harmed her because from the look on Kakashi's face: there was going to be eternal hell to pay.

"Alright," Kakashi said turning to Shikamaru who was behind him,"Pakkun says this is the place," he had lifted his hitai-ate to reveal his sharingan," I can see it. It shouldn't be too much for Genma to deal with." Genma who was behind Shikamaru nodded as he started doing hand seals to break the genjutsu. Kakashi turned back to watch the image slowly melt in front of him. It took a few minutes but it melted to the ground finally. Okay, step one: complete. Kakashi's hands started doing seals instantly faster than anyone could see.

Shikamaru had been told by Naruto of Kakashi's prowess, and he had been on several missions before with the Copy nin but he was still amazed everytime at just how powerful the bored looking, pornography reading, nonchalant ninja was when provoked. And Shikamaru could tell he had most definitely been provoked by the Akatsuki. He didn't know whether it was due to wounded pride at being captured or the fact that they held one of his students hostage. But for whatever reason they had brought hell upon themselves, which they had, he was about to unlease it in an ungodly fury. Kami help whoever got in his way.

Kakashi finished the jutsu he had chosen to get the Akatsuki's attention. Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. A huge ball of fire soared through the air and hit deadlong with the door of the Akatsuki compound. All of the Leaf nin plus ninken jumped from their hiding spots and rushed the building. Kakashi was inside first. The jutsu had resulted in a smashed in door and a lot of debris as well as a lot of dust in the air. It was nothing like Zabuza Momochi's Hidden Mist technique but it served its purpose well.

Kakashi looked around calming himself. Yes, he was riled up, but in order to save Sakura he had to remain calm. A sudden shadow loomed over his shoulder as and object was swung foward. Kakashi slid backward in time to dodge Samehada from slicing him down the front. A smirk graced Kakashi's features as he stood from his crouching positioin and stood.

"Hello Hoshigaki Kisame." The said shinobi appeared from the dust a smirk on his own face.

"Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi appeared bored as he looked Kisame over.

"So where is she," Kakashi asked as his fists started to glow blue and crackled with lightening. Kisame smirked.

"What? The girl?" Kisame inwardly flinched at the thought of her. "Oh by now, probably scarred for life." Kakashi willed himself to stay calm. He needed to remain focused they were dealing with the Akatsuki.

"If so," he said a malcious smile coming to his face,"You will die." His eye glinted with a malice Kisame hadn't seen from the famed Copy nin before.

"We will see," Kisame said raising Samehada over his shoulder. Kakashi was faster than he was. That much he was sure of. He had to be careful. He hoped by provoking him he would lose focus. It apparently hadn't worked.

Kakashi had formed his Chidori without using any seals. He was waiting for Kisame to make the first move. Something. All of a sudden one of his ninken jumped out of the settling dust it startled Kisame. Kakashi's eyes widened. There was his opening. He rushed the swordsman dodging left and right. Kisame swung Samehada at him but he flash stepped behind him striking him in the back with the Chidori. Kisame stumbled forward slightly. He looked around and smirked when he saw that it had started to rain heavily outside. His hands started forming seals of his own. Water Prison Shark Dance Technique. A huge wall of water formed around him entraping Kakashi inside. Kakashi immediately held his breath recognizing the technique. His hands sped through some seals. Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet. Taking water from the bubble around them a gigantic dragon formed behind Kakashi. It rushed Kisame knocking him out of the dome of water. Kakashi used chakra enfused feet to keep his footing on the floor escaping the dome effectively. Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. A huge fireball shot from Kakashi once more toward Kisame. It turned the water into steam and left a huge crater that Kisame was standing in. He looked slightly dazed after experiencing the shock and awe of the jutsu while in his water dome. Kisame was smirking. His hands started going through seals Water Release: A Thousand Feeding Sharks. A huge wall of chakra sharks made out of water rose before Kakashi. They started speeding toward Kakashi. Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall. Kakashi finished his seals and a wall of Earth rose up before him shielding him from the attacks. He could feel his chakra levels begin to lower. He needed to finish this fight quickly. He formed the Rasengan in one hand and the Chidori in the other. A shark came around the wall he had created. He jumped over the wall and ran straight at Kisame. He held the Rasengan in front of him tearing through the wall of shark. He kept a coursing stream of chakra to ensure that it remained. He had caught Kisame off guard. This was his chance. He threw both of his fists forward into the swordsman who got blown backward into the far wall. He didn't move.

Kakashi started looking around. Shikamaru was engaged with Hidan. Genma with Tobi. Raido with Zetsu. Ino was standing in the center of the room her eyes closed in concentration.

"Kakashi," Shikamaru called out,"Help cover Ino!" Kakashi immediately ran to the aid of the girl as a wayward jutsu sped toward her. He erected the Earth-Style Wall in front of her just in time. He looked down to see his ninken around him.

"Shiba!" He called to his ninken. She was by his side in a matter of seconds. "You and Uhei protect Ino." The ninken nodded and ran toward the blonde headed girl. Kakashi suddenly saw Kisame rise to his feet. Kakashi had summoned his Chidori instantly.

"Kakashi don't," it was Ino," I am using him to open the seals." Kakashi nodded. Kakashi was about to turn and help Shikamaru when a voice stopped him.

"Here for the little kunoichi?" The voice was sickeningly familiar. It was the voice he had been waiting to hear. His eyes filled with bloodlust as he turned around to see Deidara looking at him. Deidara smirked at the look in Kakashi's eyes. Deidara already had two bomb bird created in his hands. Kakashi matched it. Ino was looking from one to the other. She had never seen the man's posture change that much. What had the shinobi done.

"Deidara," Kakashi said every bit of his hatred for him and malice fused into that one name,"So it was you that hurt Sakura." Deidara smirked.

"If you were referring to the slicing of her arms, then that was me un." His smirk if possible got wider,"But you don't know what I've done to your precious little kunoichi since." Kakashi's eyes widened as Deidara started to laugh. "I'll tell you this, I understand why you wanted her back to badly now. She one hot little thing, isn't she?" Kakashi gritted his teeth underneath his mask. He saw Ino out of the corner of his eyes let her mouth drop open. Kakashi pushed off of the ground hard appearing beside Deidara in an instant. Deidara dropped his bombs and jumped away to safety. Kakashi side stepped at the last moment dodging the affects.

"What did you do to her," Kakashi demanded his voice getting even more hostile. Deidara just laughed at her.

"Nothing short of what you've done to her I'm sure." Kakashi wasn't phased by this. Deidara clearly misunderstood their relationship. Deidara took his silence as omittance. "Then you won't mind me taking a piece of her for myself." Deidara wasn't stupid. He'd been with enough women to know that Sakura had been a virgin when he took her. He was just egging the Copy nin on. He wanted a good fight after all.

Kakashi held two Chidori in each hand as he rushed the bomb expert who started throwing clay birds left and right. Kakashi dodged and weaved through them all. He was definitely lit up now. He didn't even want to think of the implications for Sakura that Deidara had said. He let his adrenaline help fuel his chakra as he sped toward Deidara at an alarming speed. Deidara's eyes widened as Kakashi neared him both Chidori at his sides. Deidara made a move to leave when he was strapped down by something. He looked around him to see Kakashi's ninken all biting into his form to hold him in place. Kakashi momentarily was distracted at the sight of Bull biting into Deidara's shoulder. Naruto was here. It was reminiscent of when they had pinned Zabuza. He threw both Chidori into the Akatsuki's chest. There was a piercing scream that rung out from Deidara and spread throughout the room. There was a mid pause in every battle going on in the room to see if they recognized it as their team-mate. Other than that nothing happened. Kakashi started using taijutsu on Deidara as his body sank to the floor. He was going to break him. He closed his eyes and concentrated on opening the first of the Eight Gates. He kicked Deidara up into the air. He closed his eyes as he used the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf to position himself in mid air behind Deidara. Suddenly white wraps flew out around Deidara securing him to where he couldn't move. Deidara's eyes opened in fear as Kakashi smirked behind him and held his shoulders with his hands. They were beginning to spin at an alarming rate toward the floor. Kakashi pushed off of Deidara at the last minute as he slammed into the floor with a sickening thud. Kakashi could hear bones split and break as he landed on his feet and slid backwards.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei," Kakashi looked behind him to see the blonde shinobi smiling at him. He had momentarily forgotten about Naruto's arrival.

"Hey Naruto,"Kakashi said looking around.

"Have you found Sakura yet?" Naruto asked eyeing the chaos around them.

"Not yet. Ino's on it," Kakashi said steadying himself after the last attack. "You should go help Genma, Raido, or Shikamaru." Naruto nodded as the sand nin around him were engaging in the waging battle as he jumped in.

Naruto and the sand nin had arrived minutes earlier thanks to Bull. They hadn't stopped all day until they got here, the battle already under way. From his perspective Naruto thought that they were ahead. He smirked summoning his shadow clones to insure sucess. Hurry up Ino. We need to get Sakura. He walked ran up to Shikamaru who was fighting vigorously with Hidan.

"Need some help Shikamaru?" The strategist was breaking a sweat he could tell. Shikamaru just smirked at Naruto. Naruto smirked back lauching a series of attacks at Hidan with his shadow clones.

XXX

Sakura had been about to exit to the hallway as something had shaken the compound. Sakura had fallen to the floor and didn't remember much after that. The next thing she did remember was Deidara in her room with Itachi at his throat. She blinked several times. Her skin began to crawl at the sight of Deidara again. She noticed that Itachi had Deidara lifted off of the ground pinned against the wall with his forearm. She began to stand uneasily to her feet. She leaned back against the bed to steady herself. She was still slightly seeing double.

"Go ahead kill me. See how forgiving Pein is then!" Deidara said his smirk still on his face. Itachi didn't say a word. He let him fall to the floor in a lump. Then Deidara left the room quickly before Itachi could change his mind.

Itachi turned toward Sakura. She looked unsteady on her feet. He had come to check on her after the explosion that Itachi had thought was Deidara's doing to find him in her room once more. It had ignited a fire in the chest of the Uchiha. He had confronted him about it. Deidara was unyielding to questions. It was now obvious they were under attack and even more obvious was what the attackers wanted: Sakura. She looked bleary eyed at the Uchiha.

"Itachi? What's going on?" Itachi walked forward hurriedly grabbing her arm practically dragging her behind him. She was slamming into every wall and nicking every corner they came to. He heard her hiss in pain. She jerked away from him obviously much more aware of herself now. He turned to face her. Her facial expression was angry. "Itachi. What is going on," she restated. Her tone was not questioning now but more demanding. Itachi could see her clearly. Her tone portrayed anger but she was trembling. In what he didn't know. Anger? Fear? Apprehension? Adrenaline? He couldn't tell and he didn't care. He walked toward her and she backed up her fists balled. He stopped for a second looking at her debating. He could tell her and then she would try to escape. He could keep it from her and have her resist him all of the way to the second entrance. He was short on time. He didn't have time for this. Pein's orders had been to get the hostages out in the case of an invasion. He wanted to keep them if they were valuable enough to try to be taken back. He walked toward Sakura again. She shot to the side and slammed her chakra enlaiden fist to the wall beside her. It shattered instantly and she was gone through it. Itachi gave chase.

Sakura was running as fast as she could. She was smashing walls left and right running from the Uchiha. She didn't know what the noise had been, but it had to be an explosion. It shook the entire compound. Someone had to be here to save her. Otherwise Itachi wouldn't be moving her like this. Kakashi had kept his promise. A smile graced her face as she slammed into a third wall. Hold on guys. I'm coming.

XXX

Kakashi was inwardly wincing. He had gone a little far with the Front Lotus. Kakashi was forcing himself to stand as Pakkun appeared at his side.

"Kakashi-ue," he said excitedly," Sakura is coming." Kakashi's eyes widened and he pushed off of the wall with renewed strength. She was coming. He grimaced as the wall was smashed in before them. She was standing at the top of the stairs that led into the room. She glanced around at the chaos around her. Then she saw him. Their eyes connected and all of the chaos around them seemed to fade away. They were okay. They were both shocked into reality when a huge flaming ball of fire hit Sakura from behind launching her into the air.

"Sakura." Kakashi said as he forced his legs to move to catch her. She was flying at an alarming rate through the air. Kakashi ducked around Tobi and Genma and turned just in time to catch a soaring Sakura. He caught her a grunt escaping his lips as they slid backward and Kakashi's body bent into a crouching position. Kakashi felt his back get scalded with a jutsu. He grimaced in pain as he stood and took a few steps forward. He fell to one knee and then looked down to check on Sakura. She was knocked out, but from what he could see she was okay. He smiled. She was okay.

Kakashi looked up from where Sakura had been thrown. Itachi Uchiha stood in the gaping hole in the wall. "Naruto," Kakashi called not tearing his eyes away from Itachi. Naruto or one of his clones was by his side in a matter of seconds. "Take Sakura and get out of here." Naruto looked at Kakashi and then to Itachi.

"Kakashi?" He started. Then the look that Kakashi gave him next silenced any further comments he had.

"Take her and get out of here Naruto. What's most important is to get her out of here." Naurto nodded as two of his clones appeared beside Kakashi and the blonde haired shinobi ran out of the compound at an alarming speed. He was drained of all chakra. He knew this. He would have to fight using taijutsu. He winced as he made a move to stand. And even that right now wasn't looking good for him. He stood fully on his feet. He saw Itachi look to the crater where he had left Deidara was. Nothing phased him. He turned back to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru!" The strategist turned toward his name barely dodging Hidan's next attack. "We have Sakura." Shikamaru nodded. He avoided Hidan's next attack barely.

"Use the ninken to inform the other." Kakashi nodded. He looked around and spotted Pakkun. Then he looked back up to Itachi who was now descending the stairs.

"Pakkun," his voice startled the pug in the midst of all the chaos," go tell the ANBU members Sakura is safe. Plus the sand nin. Naruto has her and is running away as we speak." Pakkun nodded and ran away to do his master's bidding.

Pakkun couldn't help though to begin to fear for his master's life. His chakra was nearly gone. If he used any more he would surely die. Panic began to flood the ninken as he hurried ran to the shinobi informing them of this latest development.

Kakashi waited for Itachi to get to the bottom of the stairs. He stared at his chest now not wanting to have a second bout of Itachi's Tsukuyomi. Once was enough thank you. Finally Itachi spoke.

"Did she mean that much to you?" Kakashi was shocked by what he said. "Did she mean enough to you to risk dying here of all places?" Kakashi remained silent. Of course she did. She was his student. A twinge in his chest that had nothing to do with his physical ailments decided to pop up at that moment. He closed his eyes and looked up at Itachi.

"Yes, yes she did."

XXX

Naruto was bolting through the trees as fast as he could go. His clones were still informing him of what was going on with the others. Shikamaru and the others were attempting to fall back along with Kakashi's ninken. Kakashi, however, had been intercepted by Itachi Uchiha. Naruto gritted his teeth. He should have stayed and helped him out, but an order was an order. He had to follow it. He felt Sakura stir in his arms. He looked down at her.

"N-Naruto?" He smiled down at her warmly.

"Hey Sakura-chan," he greeted warmly. She smiled but then her eyes widened.

"Where's Kakashi? Itachi? Where are the other?" Naruto took in a breath and his eyes saddedned.

"He told me to take you away from the fight." Sakura's eyes widened.

"No, you have to take me back now!" Naruto shook his head.

"I can't Sakura. Kakashi told me to leave with you." Sakura hit him in his chest.

"You have to take me back. Nauto, he'll die! Kakashi is going to die!" Naruto's eyes widened,"His chakra is almost gone! He is more than likely fighting Itachi! He will kill him!" Naruto made an abrupt stop. Kakashi was going to die, but he had told him to take Sakura away.

"Are you okay Sakura? Can you handle battle?" Sakura immediately responded.

"Yes now turn around! Hurry!" Naruto more than happy to oblige doubled back toward the fight.

Sakura couldn't believe that Kakashi had told Naruto to leave with her. He knew that he was running low on chakra. Sakura had noticed it as she was getting closer to the dining area. His signature was weak. She had been surprised to see him standing when she had knocked down the wall to be honest. It had thrown her off guard. She chided herself for not moving. Itachi was an Akatsuki of course he would have attacked her! She just prayed they weren't too late. Kami please let Kakashi be alive.

XXX

Kakashi was thrown against the wall effortlessly by Itachi. He gritted his teeth. He looked up at his enemy and slid his body up the wall to his feet. He had no chakra left to spare. He was going to die by the hand of Itachi if this was kept up. He closed his eyes in resignation. At least Sakura was safe and that's all that mattered. He opened his eyes and walked forward a couple steps. Itachi was just standing there emotionlessly, stoicly, motionlessly. He knew that Kakashi was going to die. He could at least use the sharingan to read his movements if there were any. They just stood there stalemated for what seemed like a long time.

"Why is she worth dying to you?" Itachi asked. His voice was even and montone. Kakashi looked up at him his breathing hard.

"Because I care about her." He answered quietly. Itachi didn't seem phased.

"Why?" Kakashi had a hand pressed to his chest. There was an open wound there now. It was reopened after Sakura had healed it a few days ago. He coughed slightly. Itachi was going to talk him to death. That would be a new one, and rather embarassing admittingly for Kakashi. He imagined what Gai would do to match his death. He looked up at Itachi.

"The pain that she has experience in this life I can sympathize. Sortly after your brother defected her parents died suddenly. They were attacked by sound nin, courtesy of Orochimaru I'm sure, to spite her. As if losing your brother wasn't enough to incompasitate the girl at thirteen. She was in love with your brother when he left. She was left nearly comatose after. The death of her parents was just enough to turn her into an emotionless shell of a human. However, at the time we thought Sakura was weak because she hadn't specialized in anything, oh how wrong we were," Kakashi paused to think back on it. Oh how strong she had been,"She endured and made it her life's passion to help others. She pushes herself to her limits each time dedicated and determined to save the unsavable, to rescue the lost, and bring light to those shrowded in darkness. She has helped and saved me many times, more than enough to pay back the debt that she had when I protected her as a genin. Still she doesn't see how truly strong she is. How postively beautiful she has become. And through all of it she can't see all the lives she touches by just being there, smiling, and giving the time of day to someone who just wants to say hi." Kakashi bit back a twinge of pain,"That's why I will die for her. Why I choose to die for her. She is worth it. More than worth it. And most importantly," Kakashi said the volume to his voice dropping,"I love Sakura."

Pakkun, who had been standing close enough to hear, understood it all much more clearly now. It all made sense to him now. Kakashi's edge to his voice, the fuel behind his actions. The worry in his eyes. The potent adrenaline, and then that one moment when he saw Sakura. His hesitation. Pakkun couldn't help but smile at his master. After years of being alone he had found someone whom he could give his heart to. His tail wagges slightly. Then reality came crashing down upon him. It didn't take a medic to tell Pakkun that Kakashi's body was shutting down; he was dying. The pug whined softly. Did Sakura know? If she did how would she survive this? Kakashi's body trembled as he coughed blood coming out of his mouth. The ninken's mask hardened. He was a mortal. Kakashi was a shinobi to the core. He wouldn't stop fighting. There was no happy ending here. Kakashi was going to die fighting Itachi with all he had left. He was going to leave Sakura in the world alone. The thing that Pakkun couldn't bring himself to admit even to himself was that when they saw each other Sakura had smelled just like Kakashi had. She had hesitated like him too. The pug's head hung low. She was in love with him too and he didn't even know it.

Ino, who had been watching the entire fight, was speechless. Here Kakashi was on the verge of death at the hands of an Akatsuki member and had been asked the one question that no one in Konoha had thought to ask him about Sakura. It unlocked a vault deep inside Kakashi of emotion that no one had ever seen, and what came out was astonishing. He was about to die without Sakura ever hearing a word of what he said. Tears filled Ino's eyes at her friends unknown loss. Her fists clenched at her sides. She bowed her head. You're gonna owe me one for this Billboard Brow. Ino took a kunai in her hand steeling herself for what she was about to do.

Itachi was shocked by his answer. He was in love with the kunoichi. It didn't seem to far fetched once he thought about it. He could see it. However, that didn't matter. He was an enemy. He had rescued Sakura. He was to be killed. Itachi moved toward him at an alarming speed. He stopped when he was mere inches from Kakashi and stared him in the eye. He was a brave one. An honorable death. He was about to kill him when he felt a kunai whiz past his head. He turned to see the blonde kunoichi standing behind him. She still had her mask on. She took it off of her face and threw it aside. She was smirking at him. Itachi didn't say anything as he turned toward her. Suddenly he couldn't move his feet. He looked over to see Shikamaru. Shadow Imitation Technique. His eyes narrowed. Ino looked over at him relieved. Itachi looked at Ino who was looking at him. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Ino! Don't look into his eyes," Kakashi called. Too late. Itachi's sharingan activated. Tsukuyomi. Ino dropped lifeless to the ground. All hell was breaking loose around them. Kakashi looked over to Tobi to see a huge demon sitting there that he had summoned. His eyes widened. Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. All of the shinobi around it were looking hesitant. "Move! Don't let it touch you!" Kakashi yelled to the shinobi too late for that too. He watched as a dragon form of energy emitted from his the statue's mouth. Every shinobi it touched fell to the floor dead instantly. Genma and Raido had just barely escaped it running to Kakashi's aid. Shikamaru's concentration had broken and Itachi ran toward Ino and threw her into the air. This caught the statue's attention. The energy started to charge from it's mouth.

"Ino!" Shikamaru cried as he started to take off to catch her. Her lifeless form flew through the air. His arm was caught by Genma.

"No Taichou. She's dead. We have to move now!" Itachi who had been momentarily distracted by everything going let his guard up. Raido had grabbed Kakashi and were running toward the door.

Shikamaru couldn't help his vision blurring due to tears. I'm so sorry Ino. I am so sorry. He pushed himself further out of the compound as the walls came crashing down around them from the power the Statue was gathering. It shot one last time the dragon appearing from its mouth. The team, all of the ninken, Kankuro and one nin barely made it outside as the walls crashed and the compound seemed to implode.

Kakashi looked behind him. He closed his eyes. Ino had been Sakura's friend. She had tried to save him. Her death was on his conscience. Seconds later Naruto and Sakura appeared. Sakura hopped off of Naruto instantly looking over all the shinobi as she went going to the worst of the worst first: Kakashi. His body was finally too fatigued. He let his body relax.

"Put him on the ground now," Sakura said and no one dared to oppose her. They were still in enemy territory, but Kakashi couldn't be moved. She was kneeling above him her hands engulfed in her green healing chakra. She had her hands on his chest forcing her chakra to the most deteriorated parts of his body first. His chest, his lungs, his heart, his liver, then to the bones. His ribs, his femur again, his shoulder, his forearm. He was in bad shape and even more what worried her was he was fading from consciousness.

"Set up a perimeter for now," said Shikamaru who had finally found his voice. It sounded cold and distant. "We will begin moving as soon as Kakashi is healed." Sakura was about done healing him when she noticed it. It was his heart. It was giving out on him. He had over exerted himself. This sent Sakura in a panic. This was something she couldn't heal. She opened her eyes.

"Kakashi look at me," She said her voice stern. His eyes just rolled back in his head,"Kakashi look at me!" Naruto stood over her shoulder not really knowing what to do. At her agitated state he started pacing. Whatever was happening he couldn't help with. He wasn't a medic and Sakura was the best one. If she was sounding this frightened it had to be bad. Everyone else around them except the ninken had left to set up a strong perimeter. Pakkun ran up to Sakura's side.

"Sakura what's wrong," he asked his tone laced with worry.

"His heart is giving out on me," she said hurriedly as she pumped all of the chakra she had into him. "Come on Kakashi. Don't you dare stop fighting on me now. Fight! Fight Kakashi! You're a shinobi! You never, ever stop fighting!" She could feel the tears well up in her eyes. She could take getting beaten, she could take getting raped by Deidara, but she could not take his death. Especially when she hadn't told him yet. She kept pushing her chakra into him. "Kakashi, you can't die on me. You can't," she said her voice barely a whisper. The tears were falling heavily from her eyes now. The realization of what was about to happen came over her. Her body started shaking, and sobs built up at entrance to her throat. She swallowed them down and managed to see his face through the tears. He held a green engulfed hand to his face. "You want to know why you can't die on me?" There was no response from Kakashi who had fallen unconscious from the damage his body had taken. "You can't die because I haven't told you yet," she said still forcing her chakra into his heart begging it to regulate. "I haven't told you I love you yet."

Naruto who had been pacing stopped short and turned to look at Sakura. She loved Kakashi. His features softened. That explained it all. They hysterics, the begging, the deal, the healing, and now the tears. She was in love with Hatake Kakashi, her former sensei. Why hadn't he seen it before? Everyone kept telling him they'd make the perfect couple together. A grim look came over his face as he realized the irony of it all. He'd never know. He'd never be able to anwer her pleas. Naruto rested his hand on her shoulder his legs against her back. She wouldn't stop pumping her chakra into him; he knew better than to try and stop her. All her could do was to give her some support to lean into. He crouched behind her and wrapped an arm around her middle and layed his forehead at the base of her neck as she started sobbing. Sakura who had lost so much had, for the second time in her life, lost the man she loved.

"Do you hear me Kakashi," she said barely above a whisper,"I love you." The rain that had been pouring the entire time now fell upon them heavily

Kakashi felt like he was underwater. He could hear a voice call out to him. "Do you hear me Kakashi, I love you." Was that Sakura? Surel not. He didn't care. He was going to relax. He had found peace. Suddenly he felt jolted. How could he give up now? He hadn't told Sakura. He hadn't let her know. He hadn't shown her that she could live. Ino had sacrificed her life for his. Dying wasn't going to honor death. He started to fight again. Suddenly he started coughing breaking away from the underwater feeling. He was gasping for air. He opened his brown eye to see rain falling hard down on him. "Kakashi?" He slightly turned his head to see Sakura sitting by his side her hands glowing green resting on his chest and one on his face. She was crying. Was she crying over him? He reached a hand out for her.

"Sakura?" She started sobbing hard as she layed her head on his chest. He couldn't help but smile weakly as the hand that had reached out for her laced through her pink hair. It was starting to get long. He coughed once more and then looked at Naruto who was smiling from behind her.

"Welcome back Kakashi," he said softly. Kakashi merely nodded paying more attention to the female crying on him.

"Sakura, you should let your hair grow out," he said softly,"it looks good that way." Sakura just nodded and he heard her voice speak up muffled.

"Okay." He let his head fall back and closed his eyes. 


	6. Chapter 6

All right, that last chapter was a bit intense. As a writer I also read my stories for flow and to make sure I don't miss anything. I am beginning to fall in love with this story haha. The readers are my flesh and blood. Keep reviewing. I thrive off of those you know.

Prescripto 13: I agree Chapter four was one of the best chapters to write thus far.

-Requiem

Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters. I just used a mind control jutsu so they'll do my bidding for awhile...(wouldn't orochimaru love that)

Chapter Six

Sakura was sitting on the edge of her bed leaned over with her head in her hands. It had been three days since they were back in Konoha. The quiet pitter patter of rain against the window pane was the only sound heard throughout the kunoichi's apartment. She had been in a depressed state ever since their arrival. She hadn't appeared much in the village after she had went to the Hokage's tower shortly after arriving to give her full report to Tsunade. Her full report. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow. Her fingers dug into the hair on her scalp as the pained expression of her shishou replayed in her mind. The pained look of pity for her and what she had gone through. Kankuro and the other sand nin, after escourting them back to their village, had already left back for Suna. They had seemed to be eager to return and report to the Kazekage.

Sakura sat up and looked out the window. It was befitting of the day. Today was the funeral. Her best female friend's funeral. She didn't feel anything. She was numb to it all. She hadn't really felt anything after she learned of her death at the Akatsuki's compound. At first it had seemed surreal to the kunoichi, Ino couldn't possibly be dead especially with no body to back it up, but as time went on and Ino's absence in the village became more prominent it had become clear. This was no joke. Sakura rose to her feet and walked over to her wardrobe opening it. She looked over the articles of clothing. Nothing stood out to her. She saw a black skin tight long sleeved shirt. She grabbed it. Then she moved to the other side of her closet and saw a black pair of dress pants. She didn't remember why she had them, but she pulled them from their hanger as well. She dressed silently. She glanced at the clock once she was done. The funeral would start in an hour. She sat back down on her bed. She didn't want to be here. She stood grabbing the key to her apartment and walked out of the front door her destination was a mystery even to her. At least for an hour.

XXX

There were at least fifty shinobi all sitting in rows of metal, black chairs out in the rain. None moving all attention focused on the Hokage who was standing behind a casket. An empty casket they all knew, but they had to have something to hold the memory of Yamanaka Ino. Tsunade's expression was grave as the rain fell around them softly. They were near the memorial stone in the far corner of the village. Most of the shinobi were sheltered by the closer seats under the tree. Sakura, who wanted the rain to fall on her, had sat way in the back as far away from the casket as possible. She looked up toward the lush, green, leafy tree that sheltered them. That tree had always been there when she had come to get Kakashi several times to go on a mission or to run an errand for Tsunade. When she was younger she could never understand what drew the man to this place or why he always wanted to stay a few more mintues with that stone. She had grown to understand as she had gotten older, but now it had become all too clear. She looked back at her shishou who looked as if she was trying to gather her thoughts. Normally Sakura would have felt sorry for her, but Sakura couldn't feel anything staring at the woman before her. The kunoichi knew that she didn't like to speak at these sort of things, but as the Hokage it was her duty to the shinobi as well as the village.

Tsunade sighed as she looked down at the podium she was standing behind. She was trying to gather her thoughts. Yamanaka Ino. She had been so young. Younger than Sakura by a few months. She looked toward the crowd at the thought of her apprentice. The rain began to fall in earnest around them now drenching the sitting shinobi as well as herself. She spotted her far in the back. Tsunade could imagine why. Poor Sakura. She felt her heart sadden at the pain she was now experiencing. So much had happened to her in a short amount of time. How many times can you bounce back Sakura? How many times can you remain unchanged by the events that go on around you?

Tsunade stood tall and cleared her throat. "I will not pretend to be able to say that I knew Yamanaka Ino personally," she started,"but I can say that I know how she felt about her village and her duty as a shinobi. She reflected the same devotion, the same loyalty to her teammates as well as her village, and the same determination in life and her missions as I see in many of the shinobi who sit before me. And after I was informed of the nature of her passing, it didn't surprise me," Tsunade said pausing. Her gaze turned fierce as she slammed her hand on the podium that cracked a little under the pressure," She had heart! She loved her teammates enough to lay her life down for them!" There was silence from the shinobi around her. She looked across the crowd and continued,"Had she been a civilan and not a shinobi, I would say the same thing about her that I will say now. Anyone who would lay their life down for someone else no matter what they've done in their life, if they've defected from their home, how many people they've killed, what their intentions in life had been; those people are the bravest people I have ever had the privledge to know. Yamanaka Ino's passing affects us all as shinobis, as family, as teammates, friends, and as a village. He was brave, kind, caring, devoted, loyal, and from what I gather as fierce a fighter as she was a friend,"she paused looking up in Sakura's direction," Her loss is felt deeply by us all," she said her voice dropping in tone slightly. Tsunade was shaking now. Her own sorrow was taking her over. She gritted her teeth. She had to be strong for her village. She had to be strong for Sakura. "She will be missed, and her death however painful, however deep cutting, and however earth shattering will not distract us from her memory, from her smile, her laugh, her kindess. She was surely loved. She would want us to continue on in her honor," Tsunade said pointedly looking at the pink haired shinobi in the back. "I as a Hokage was and still am proud to claim her as one of my own." She looked down for a second," Ino, we miss you terribly. You can feel the pain in all of our hearts at the loss of your life. We know you're in a better place now." She looked up at her devoted, strong, loyal, statuesc shinobi before her. "Let's not insult her memory. Go all of you and be at peace knowing that she is in Kami's hands now."

Some of the shinobi recognizing the dismissal stood. Tsunade looked out to the crowd and her eyes caught on a certain silver haired shinobi. His eyes met hers and she could make out a slight nod as he stood. Tsunade could see Sakura had stood and was walking away. Tsunade saddened at the sight of her retreating apprentice. Oh Sakura.

Kakashi watched Sakura leave as his mind remembered his earlier meeting with Tsunade.

Flashback

He had been in the hospital for a day after their return to the village. He used Sakura's medical expertise as the reasoning for his quick recovery from the fight. That and his lack of work. Ever since he had noticed Sakura's lack of socialization with anyone. He was worried about her well-being. He had been indirectly informed of Sakura being raped by the gossiping nurses in the hospital. He wasn't even sure how they knew. That wasn't all. That was a scarring event in and of itself, but along with that Sakura had lost her closest female friend: Ino. He had a right to be worried.

His feet had lead him to the Hokage's tower and he now stood outside of her office. He flared his chakra and knocked revealing his presence to the woman in the room before him. A low "Come in" was heard and he opened the door. He looked up to see a very sad looking Tsunade. She had her head rested on a hand that was propped up by her elbow. There was a bottle of sake on her desk half empty and a saucer sitting beside it half full. Her gaze turned toward Kakashi and she sighed.

"What can I do for you Kakashi," she asked airly as she looked out of her window and out into the dreary, rainy sky. She seemed a bit distracted.

"I'm worried about Sakura," he stated plainly. He was now leaning against the wall his arms crossed before him his gaze on the floor. Tsunade didn't bother to look at him.

"Me too." There was a silence that rose between them for a few minutes. Kakashi looked back up at Tsunade who was still gazing out of the window.

"What can we do?" He asked his voice even but he was genuinely concerned. Tsunade looked back at Kakashi her eyes still clouded with sadness.

"I don't know that there is anything we can do for her right now," she said sighing as she raised the sake saucer to her lips and took a sip,"She has been wounded and scarred deeply, Kakashi. Not only was she raped but she lost her best and only female childhood friend in one sitting." Kakashi nodded in understanding and his fists clenched at his sides at the thought of what Deidara had done to her. Kakashi, although he had killed him, would have liked to make his death a bit more painful upon being informed of this. Luckily for Deidara Kakashi had learned of this way after his death.

"I know. I just don't want to see her fall like she did before. She barely made it out the last time," he paused before adding,"She barely survived." Tsunade smiled at one of the best shinobi in her village.

"Kakashi, from every wound there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. A story athat says,"I survived." She may not be the same as she was before she left Kakashi, but she will survive, and she'll have the scars to prove it. She may be colder, more clingy to her friends, or she may break away from everyone all together." Kakashi looked at the floor once more. He had been afraid she was going to say that. Kakashi leaned up from the wall to leave the office. "And Kakashi," she said eyeing the Copy nin,"Don't go blaming yourself for any of this. You completed your mission as well as anyone could have thought you could especially in the state you were in. Sakura is alive. There was only one casualty. It could have been a lot worse. You did the best that anyone could have hoped for." Kakashi paused not looking at her. There was a breif silence before he replied.

"Maybe so, Hokage-sama," he said quietly,"but it wasn't good enough for me." With that he left her office his mind still pondering on the pink haired kunoichi.

End Flashback

Kakashi still had no idea how to comfort the depressed kunoichi, but there was one thing he could do: he could be there for her. He wasn't about to let her pull herself away from the world again, not this time. And after this he knew that she would need someone. His eye followed her retreating form as Naruto walked up beside him. Both shinobi aware of the other's presence didn't say a word. No words needed to be said for the mutual understanding they held for their comerade.

"Just like when she was thirteen," Naruto finally said breaking the silence between them. Kakashi turned to look at Naruto ignoring the dispersing shinobi around them. In this moment they meant nothing to him. Naruto's blue eyes were the saddest Kakashi had ever seen them. He reached out and laid a hand on his former student's shoulder reassuringly. Naruto looked toward his former sensei who had a smile on his face.

"She'll be okay," He said with a slight happy tone in his voice. Naruto's gaze went back to Sakura's fading form.

"I wonder where she's going?" Naruto pondered out loud. Kakashi's gaze returned to the kunoichi as he let his hand fall back to his pocket.

"I'm not sure." He stated evenly. Kakashi made to walk away as Naruto stopped him.

"Hey Kakashi, when you were dead did you hear anything said around you?" Kakashi paused not even turning around to look at Naruto.

"No, why?" Naruto managed a small chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck in nervousness.

"No reason, I was just curious." Kakashi nodded and walked away.

Naruto sighed now watching his former sensei walk away much like Sakura had. Poor Sakura. His thoughts drifted to his teammate. She had been scarred by that Deidara that Kakashi had killed. His fists clenched at his sides at the thought. Then she had lost her friend Ino and to add to that; she had finally admitted her feelings to the man she loved only to have him not hear them. He sighed as he looked back at the shinobi around him. He spotted Hinata talking to a very sullen looking Shikamaru. People needed him right now. He turned toward them but took one more glance over his shoulder in Sakura's direction. He would have gone to comfort her, but he had learned very fast that when Sakura was like this to not bother her, at least for a little while.

XXX

Sakura's heart seemed to be throbbing so bad that it would burst. Tsunade's speech had moved her to nearly tears. She had been looking at the ground before her letting her feet carry her to wherever they pleased. She looked up to find herself at Team seven's practice area. She would be safe here. She let the tears that had been threatening to fall during the funeral fall silently. Her hurt was soon replaced by anger. Her eyes narrowed and she aimed her fist at the closest thing: an innocent tree. It snapped falling to the ground quickly. It wasn't satisfying enough to Sakura. She wanted to inflict damage. She wanted to inflict pain. She wanted to hurt something as bad as she hurt right now. She used a chakra enlaiden fist to slam into three trees to her left. She turned around from her distruction to see a silver haired shinobi standing behind her. His eye was sad as he looked at her. His posture relaxed with his hands in his pockets. His normally sticking up hair was plastered to the sides and back of his head due to the rain. It only emphasized the hurting, sorrowful look in his eye. Sakura stood there looking at him for a moment. She felt some liquid flow down her hand. She didn't bother to look. She knew her hand was bleeding. She hadn't been wearing her protective gloves. The rain was still falling on the soaked shinobi as no words passed between them.

Kakashi had never seen her this distraught in his entire time of knowing her. Even after her parents deaths she hadn't been nearly this explosive or this angry. She had changed since then though. She had become stronger. And apparently so had her reaction to loss in her life. She just stood there looking at him in her battle-ready stance. He knew she had no intention of hitting him, but he remained ready anyway. He could see the blood flowing feely from her left hand out of the corner of his eye coloring the ground below her a crimson. Her hair was clinging to her face thanks to the rain. She looked the most pitiful he had ever seen her. What really caught the shinobi in the heart was the look in her eyes. There was a fierce, fierce anger but just underneath that, what she was masking with her anger, was deep, intense pain. That nearly tore him apart to see in her eyes again. The rain was still falling not showing any intention of letting up any time soon.

"Sakura." His voice seemed like a hollow whisper that shattered the silence of the expanse around them. She flinched at her name being spoken. She didn't look like she was going to respond, and Kakashi didn't know what else to say. He could see her shoulders tremble and then she lauched herself at him. She was enraged but her usual technique wasn't there. He dodged and weaved around her attacks his hands never leaving his pockets. She really wasn't trying to hit him and he could tell. If this was what she needed he could do this for her. Their eyes never left each other's as they seemed to dance around the training ground.

Her attacks were slowing down and she was running out of steam. He wasn't too surprised. He knew when she was like this she didn't really eat like she was suppose to. It left her with half the energy she normally had. His eyes saddened as she fell to her knees and threw one last punch at him that he caught easily in the palm of his hand his fingers enclosing her hand. Her gaze that had been on the ground once she had fallen to her knees now lifted to his face. She dropped her gaze to the ground beneath her again. His grip on her fist was gentle but firm. She started to tremble in earnest now. Her entire body shook. He felt the pain in his chest, that had been there constantly for a few days now, make its presence known again by prominently coursing. The corners of his mouth beneath the mask drooped.

"Sakura," he tried again. She trembled for a minute before speaking.

"Why? Kakashi why?" Kakashi felt a chill go through his body. He released the breath that he had been subconsciously been holding.

"Because she cared, Sakura." There was silence again between them. Sakura looked up at him again. He could see the shed and unshed tears in her eyes.

"Kakashi," she whispered,"I feel so wretched." Kakashi was slightly surprised by the timing of her words but not their meaning. She had been raped after all.

"I know," he said just as softly,"but you aren't. None of this was your fault." Sakura remained silent again and her trembling became more prominent. She began to shakily rise to her feet. Kakashi tightened his grip on her fist to help her rise. Her head was still bowed and she refused to meet his gaze. She took a step toward him and Kakashi released her hand reinforcing his footing with chakra. He knew what was coming. She stopped for a second before running the two steps to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her trembling, if possible, got worse as the pent up sobs escaped her mouth. Kakashi who had taken both his other hand out of his pocket to wait at his side wrapped her up in his arms. One around her waist the other lacing up to her back letting his hand rest on her neck. He slightly leaned his head in her direction. His eye softened at the trembles of her body against his. Right now, all of his defenses were down. Someone could sneak up on them and he wouldn't know nor would he care. If his reputation was going to be damned for holding a crying girl let it. That was the fault of a corrupt society not his. He turned his head toward her letting the side of his face rest against the back of her head.

"Sakura," he spoke softly as she continued to sob. Her fingertips dug into the skin on his back as she had clenched her fists at the pain she felt. He didn't care about that. "Sakura, it's okay." The girl released another wave of sobs at his voice. He started rubbing gently on the back of her neck. He closed his good eye relaxing with her in his arms willing her to relax her tense body too.

She was trembling. She was crying in earnest. She was coughing and forcing herself to breathe. She was a wreck and yet in this moment she was still just as beautiful as she had ever been to him. As her perfectly designed defenses crumbled and fell around her she was no less to him than she had been in her strongest moment. He smiled at that thought. His Sakura. The Cherry Blossom of Konoha. Their pride and joy. He tightened his grip on her. He didn't want her to feel pain anymore. He didn't want her to cry anymore. He wanted to take it all away from her, and most of all he wanted to protect her more than anything or anyone else. A sudden realization stirred within the shinobi as he opened his eye again slightly wide. Was he falling for his student? Surely not? But was that so hard to believe?

He thought about everything that had happened to them in the past few weeks. All of the times that Sakura had been appearing in his life more often. The more he thought about it the more he realized it went back more than a few weeks. It went back nearly six months. Normally, Kakashi would have felt worry and decided he would avoid the person he was growing so close to, but when he thought about that this time the pain in his chest grew sharper. He couldn't abandon her. He couldn't dismiss her presence in his life so easily, and more importantly he didn't want to. His eye softened. He was in love with the woman he held in his arms. A genuine smile graced his features. He, Kakashi Hatake the Copy nin of Konoha, one of the top ranked shinobi in the Bingo Book, was in love. There was a new question that plagued his mind. Did she love him? Could she love him?

He became aware of Sakura's breathing evening out and her body growing slack in his hold. He shifted his grip on her not letting her even come close to hitting the ground as he moved her into his arms so he could carry her home. He was use to doing this to Sakura after her parents had died. He had found her several times in different places in the village passed out due to exhaustion. It had become routine for him to go around the village in the evening checking all of her normal places before he went home to make sure that she had made it home alright. He had come here first to look for her in the first place because this was the place he had normally found her in her younger years. He may have grown into the woman he knew now, but her favorite hiding spots were still the same.

He looked down at the, now, woman in his arms that was a far cry from the young girl he use to care for. He noticed the rain had let up some. He looked skyward. It was still dreary and dark. His gaze moved back to the woman in his arms as he felt her shift in his grip. She was still asleep but her body had subconsiously moved toward the heat of his body. He smiled again and he started to take them away from the training area.

"Kakashi." She said in her sleep state. He looked down at her as her hand reached toward his chest and gripped onto his flak jacket. "Kakashi." His gaze softened. He needed to get her home.

XXX

Sakura woke up in her apartment. She was bleary eyed and slightly dazed. She didn't remember how she had gotten home. Then it all flooded back to her. Kakashi. She sighed as she shakily rose to her feet. Her clothes were still damp. She looked down at the couch she had been laying on. There were three towels between her and the cushion. She smiled. He took care of her. However, she still felt kind of sheepish about it. She walked to her bedroom and changed into some dry clothes. She hadn't turned on a single light in her apartment as he moved around in it. She glanced out a window in her bedroom as she left it. It was dark outside. How long had she been out. She chided herself for passing out on Kakashi. She had to stop doing that. She made her way to the kitchen and stood there. She needed to eat. There were other people besides her who she needed to help. She needed to stop being so selfish. She slammed her hand on the counter hearing it crack internally. She looked at the fridge as her mind took her elsewhere.

Why had she ran towards Kakashi like that? She already knew the selfish answer to that. She didn't even know if he was comfortable with that kind of contact thought. It had been rash. He had accepted her wrapping his arms around her hadn't he though? He could have just been a gentleman. Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. She'd have to be more careful, but she knew had it been anyone else that had touched her, even Naurto, and especially males she would have pummeled them. Kakashi had been there for her when she had needed him. Sakura thought for a moment that maybe he had known, but that was just wistful thinking. She sighed leaning against the isle in the middle of her kitchen as she leaned her head upward and opened her eyes. She had to eat something to regain her strength. She had to force herself to eat. She knew from experience that the first few days of this would be laiden with throwing up, but she had to regulate her body again. She inwardly sighed as she looked to the fridge and opened it grabbing some miso. She had to admit that after crying she did feel better. More at peace.

She lifted the miso bowl to her lips as she used some chopsticks that were lying on the counter. She paused before eating it. "Thank you Kakashi," she whispered to the dark as she took her first step on the week of recovery.

XXX

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask as he sat on the roof of Sakura's apartment. He had stood watch as he had when she was younger to make sure no one broke in while she was incompasitated. He crouched on her roof preparing to jump down into the next street over. Her words hadn't fallen on deaf ears. 


	7. Chapter 7

Alright. I know it's been longer than normal for me to update; however, I had to go through an unexpected move. Also I recently gained Microsoft Word so I have no idea how this will transfer to Fanfiction so if the set up is a bit odd bare with me I'll get the hang of it. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing this story you are, once again, the flesh and blood of my inspiration. Keep it up.

The song used in this chapter is "I'm Yours" by The Script.

-Requiem

**Prescripto 13: **I am glad that you enjoyed the fight scene. Trust me it took a lot of research on all of the characters. I had their bios open the entire time. It wasn't an easy task I hate the way that some people write Naruto in the shippuden version of him. They still play him off as some immature boy when in reality he had matured quite a bit. I am planning on using him. Haha

**Of Broken Love:** I am glad that you are enjoying it. Thank you for the reviews I really do enjoy reading them.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters. I just sued a mind control jutsu so they'll do my bidding for awhile…(wouldn't Orochimaru love that)

Chapter Seven

Sakura was panting a she pushed her body farther to her limits. She had been training every day since Ino's funeral. She wanted to make herself better, faster, stronger for her fallen friend. She decided a few nights ago when Kakashi had brought her home that she wouldn't let her death effect her negatively. She would honor her friend by training harder than ever. She was going to become the best damn kunoichi in the world if it killed her, and it would be all thanks to Ino.

She could feel the sweat on her brow begin to run down her face. She hated that feeling but training came with the price. She was doing her daily strength training. She had started out small at one thousand tons, which was like childs play compared to what Tsunade had her lifting once upon a time ago, and had progressed to two and a half tons. She raised the weights above her head and stood there for fifteen minutes. Ten minutes had passed. She sighed looking down at her feet. This was the hard part. Willing herself to keep it up. She ahd reached the twelve minute mark when she felt extra weight press down on her from above.

"What the.." Sakura started as she sank down on one knee looking much like the Greek god Atlas. She strained her neck up to see a smirking blonde shinobi crouching on her load of weights. The pinkette scowled. "Naruto, get off. I can't hold you and the weights at the same time." Naruto's expression turned to mock hurt.

"Sakura-chan! Are you calling me fat?" Sakura gritted her teeth as her foot that dug into the ground due to her knee was slipping.

"Naruto," she warned gritting her teeth. Naruto jumped lightly off of her weights. Sakura who hadn't been prepared for the shift in weight popped up to a standing position at a fast rate. She sighed as she looked at her best friend who stood before her. She had to look up at him now. He had grown several inches taller than her. She couldn't help but grin at his wide smile. Nothing seemed to phase the shinobi. No matter how bad things got he always seemed to be smiling.

Sakura, thinking that he work out was more than over, laid the weights down beside her. "What did you need Naruto?" She questioned placing her hands on her hips staring at him curiously.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you would like to go out to the pub with me, Hinata, Shikamaru, and Sai tonight to ya know, just hang out." Sakura's brow furrowed. She had a lot more training to do today She had planned on starting to train herself in a new technique today.

"I don't know Naruto," she said hesitantly, but her best friend wasn't having it.

"Oh come on Sakura-chan. It's been forever since we've all hung out together." Sakura had to admit it had been awhile. Naruto's eyes glinted as he recognized victory in her eyes. A grin spread across his face. Sakura noticing his change in demeanor grinned back at him.

"Okay fine Naruto," she said sighing as she sat down beside her weights.

"Yeah! That's awesome," he said practically jumping, "All right. I'll walk you to the pub Sakura. You should probably dress up a little. You know they are having a dancing theme tonight. I thought I'd warn you since girls like to do that sort of thing." He scratched his neck awkwardly. Sakura giggled at her friend's unease at discussing female tendencies.

"I got it Naruto," she said turning to pick up her weights. She had to take them home now. "I'll see you around six?"

"Yeah." Naruto said his grin not fading from his face as he turned to walk away. He couldn't believe she had believed him about the themed dancing. He smirked. Maybe this was going to be easier than he thought. He just hoped Hinata was right about this.

Tsunade sighed at the piles of paper that were stacked on her desk. She pinched the bridge of her nose in stress as she sat back in her chair and leaned her head up. She needed a break. She grabbed a bottle of sake from her desk drawer and popped the top off of it as a knock on her office door sounded followed by a flare of a familiar chakra.

"Come in," she said evenly not worried about removing the bottle from sight as the silver haired jounin walked into her office.

"You called for me Hokage-sama," the shinobi stated tonelessly. Tsunade couldn't help but smirk at the man before her. She had received some interesting information earlier from Naruto about this specific jounin and her apprentice. Apparently there was a change in relationship between them. An unconscious change. Tsunade had known all along that something was different for those two. The way Kakashi had watched after her and continued to worry about her after Sasuke's disappearance followed shortly by her parent's death. At the time Tsunade had chalked it up to empathy at losing his parents at a young age too along with a teammate, but after the recent occurrence with Kakashi appearing before her yet again concerned about her apprentice's well-being. She could see that there was something more blossoming just below the surface if not already there, and Tsunade, being who she was, was going to pry.

"Ah yes," she said quietly, "I was just going to ask you how you did it." Kakashi looked up at her. She could tell there was a questioning look in his eyes. His arms were crossed as usual and he was leaning against the wall as he always did.

"How I did what Hokage-sama," he asked his interest obviously piqued. Tsunade smiled.

"How you managed to pull Sakura out of her depression once again." Tsunade watched him. There was an involuntary twitch in his stance at the mention of Sakura. Tsunade's lips pulled up in a smirk. Gotcha. Kakashi didn't speak for a period of time and there was a silence between the two of them.

"I was just there for her. As I always have been," he stated evenly as his gaze drifted in front of him. He didn't meet her eyes.

"That's pretty loyal of you Kakashi," she said evenly as she popped the top off of her sake bottle.

"She is my former student Hokage-sama," he said quietly, "Even if she isn't any longer. I still feel the need to be there for her when she requires it." Tsunade knew what she was about to say would be pushing it, but she had to ask.

"And would you have done the same for Naruto or Sasuke if he had been here." Kakashi's gaze returned to Tsunade. His eye slightly narrowed. He was catching on.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "Nothing like that has ever happened to them thus far." That was fair. Tsunade decided to stop playing games.

"Well, I was just going to say thank you," she said softly smiling genuinely. "If you haven't noticed her activities have taken quite a turn." Kakashi seemed interested so she went on. "She has taken up training again, but this time she is pushing herself much, much harder. Whatever you did to her…It saved her life." Kakashi appeared unaffected for a few minutes. Then his famous smile spread across his face.

"I'm glad that I could be of service," he said evenly. Tsunade nodded.

"Alright Kakashi, you are dismissed. However, I'll already forewarn you that you, Sakura, and Naruto have a mission coming up in two days. It will be a B-ranked mission: a undercover operation. However, the client requested you three specifically." Kakashi nodded. "I'll call the three of you back here in a day to debrief you all. You are, as you would assume, Taichou." Kakashi gave a soft 'Hn' in reply. Tsunade sighed. "Alright get out of here." Kakashi immediately rose from the wall and walked toward the door.

Tsunade smirked at the retreating shinobi. Oh yeah. There was definitely something there all right. It just needed to be prodded a little. She just hoped that whatever Naruto had planned, and she knew he had something planned because he told her, that it wouldn't ruin what was trying to happen between the two shinobi. She sighed lacing her fingers together. If any two people ever deserved happiness it was those two, but, more importantly, they deserved each other.

Kakashi walked out of the Hokage's tower at a normal pace. The Hokage had seemed to have caught onto him somehow. Well at least his feelings. He wasn't sure how because he had just found out himself a few days ago. How could word travel that fast if no one had said anything about it? Small village gossip and how it traveled always amazed him. As if no one had anything else better to do with their time.

He inwardly sighed as he meandered aimlessly toward the center of the village. He had nothing better to do. "Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi recognized that voice immediately. He stopped and inclined his head to see his former blonde haired student walking up behind him. He smiled his famous smile.

"Hello Naruto." Naruto to fell into step beside him grinning widely, something was up.

"Genma was looking for you," he said nonchalantly.

"Really?" Kakashi said mildly, "Did you catch what he wanted?" He peered over at Naruto curiously.

"Well he said something about wanting to catch up with you at the pub tonight. He wanted me to tell you if I saw you." Naruto could barely hold in his nervousness. He was surprised that Kakashi hadn't seen through it, but from what he could tell he seemed distracted. All the better for the moment. He smirked slightly. He had asked Genma as well as Gai and Kurenai to help him out with this part. They had all agreed mostly because they wanted to see if it was true.

"Maybe." Kakashi replied. He had intended to check up on Sakura this evening. After hearing what Tsunade had said about her training, he wanted to see how she was doing. He didn't want her to push herself too much. He inwardly sighed. Since he had discovered his feelings for the kunoichi he couldn't help but worry about her when it came to everything. She would be the death of him. He was just glad that her next mission was with him. At least that way he could keep her safe.

"Come on, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said happily beside him as he crossed his arms behind his head. "I'm sure you haven't relaxed in a while. He even said Kurenai and Gai would be there." Gai. That had definitely not had the desired effect. Kakashi was friends with the man, but right now he wasn't ready to submit himself to ridiculous challenges that he had foolhardily accepted in his youth to just prove to the taijutsu master wrong. However, he hadn't been to the pub in awhile.

"All right Naruto," Kakashi said relenting, "I'll go." Naruto's grin was threatening to split his face.

"Haha. You'll have fun," Naruto said looking at something in front of them. He turned his head toward his former sensei, "Believe it." Kakashi stole a look at his former student half expecting his thumb to be stuck out with his thousand watt smile to back it up making you believe every word he had said, but instead he had this sure-fire look of pure confidence and assuredness. It was a more mature look for the shinobi. Kakashi smiled. Sakura wasn't the only one who had changed.

"I'm sure I will," he agreed smiling slightly.

"Well, I gotta go help Hinata with something. I'll catch up with you later Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said waving. Kakashi just looked after him and waved. His eye slightly narrowed. He was up to something. He just didn't know what. He had a sinking feeling it involved him. He'd just have to be on his guard for a little while. Knowing Naruto, it wouldn't be anything too long term.

He looked skyward. He had time to kill before their usual meet up time around five thirty. He'd more than likely be there around six. He was rather looking forward to meeting up with his age-mates.

Sakura didn't know why she had let Naruto talk her into this. Everything she tried on just wasn't right to her. Her clothes were scattered around her normally clean room. She was sitting on her bed with her had propped up by a hand staring into her closet with a scowl. She just needed a dress right? Something simple yet stunning. If she was going to dress up, she was going to do it right. If anything Ino had taught her how to do that, and she planned on putting what the blonde had told her to use.

She rose off of her bed one last time and walked to her closet. Then she spotted it. It was a black dress in the back of her closet. Ino had given it to her as a present a couple of years back. She had stored it in the back of her closet because at the time she had thought it was a little too girly for her.

She took it out and looked at it. It was a deep dark blue. It was a heavy material that Sakura liked that rather draped around your figure letting your body do the work instead of the dress. It was a halter around the neck and come down covering her chest completely and ended short in the front to about two inches above her thigh, but it continued in the back to a flowy tail. It didn't touch the ground. It had no back until about three inches above her hips. Why not?

It fit Sakura perfectly. She walked into her bathroom where she kept a full length mirror. It looked good on her. She had to admit that. Sakura then looked at her hair. What was she going to do with it? She settled for a bun held together with two black chopsticks. She let pieces of hair fall framing her face. She applied a light eye shadow and black eyeliner with mascara. Then she traveled to her closet for shoes. She settled on a pair of black wedges when she heard a knock at the door. She looked over to the clock beside her bed. It was six. It had to be Naruto.

"Coming," she called as she came to the door and opened it. She blinked for a second. It was Naruto but he was dressed differently. He was in a long sleeved black turtle neck, orange pants, and his normal sandals. His back was to her and Sakura had to admit he looked good. The black sweater accentuated his hair and his eyes she noted as he turned around. She couldn't help but smile when she saw he was just as surprised by the way she looked as she had been with him. Suddenly a smile spread across his face.

"You look good Sakura-chan!" He hugged her squeezing her shoulders. Just then a breeze decided to make its presence known and Sakura was made well aware that it was still mid-January. Maybe this dress wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Thank you Naruto," she said smiling. He released his friend grinning.

"So are you ready to go?" Sakura nodded as she closed the door to her apartment hiding the key in a flower pot on the railing beside her door. Naruto had already started to ascend the stairs.

"So who is going to be there again?" She asked as she began to feel a bit weird in her dress. She didn't normally dress up.

"Well, Shikamaru said he was going to show, Hinata, me, maybe Kiba and Akamaru, Tenten, Shino, possibly Sai," said the blonde as he looked skyward and ticked off a finger as he said each name. Sakura smiled looking over at him. "I think that's all," he said finishing as he put his hands in his pockets. The gesture reminded her of Kakashi. She felt warmth spread through her at the very thought of him. It was followed shortly by a slight blush. What would he think if he saw her in this dress? She shook her head to rid her mind of this thought. That was absurd to think about. She was the one who had feelings for him that he didn't reciprocate. She'd just have to get use to that.

Naruto noticed that she had grown slightly quiet. When she looked over at him again he shot her his thousand watt smile, "You'll have fun Sakura-chan believe it!" He said as he wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders. She sent him a smile as the pub came into view. He released her grinning. If only she knew what the night held in store for her.

Kakashi had relented to Genma's request only after running in the shinobi earlier that day. He had offered free drinks, food, and conversation to try to entice the silver haired jounin. He had agreed but wasn't too thrilled at the prospect of spending the evening with Gai. He inwardly sighed as he walked upon the pub and entered. He spotted his age-mates sitting at the bar looking relaxed and indulged in conversation. The fleeting thought of turning around and walking away seemed tempting, but it was quickly shattered when Gai happened to turn around and spot him.

"Kakashi, my eternal rival!" Gai's voice called out above the music. Kakashi felt his shoulders slackened as he felt himself inwardly groan at the man's juvenile antics. However, when he turned around the only thing they saw was his infamous one eyed smile. He sauntered over to the group and took a seat in-between Gai and Kurenai.

"Hello Gai," he said respectively. He looked over at Kurenai and Genma greeting them with a nod.

"So, Kakashi how goes it?" The bodyguard asked nonchalantly. He had his ever present senbon in his mouth twitching in thought.

"Fine," he replied evenly as he motioned for a drink from the bartender. They knew him well enough here that he didn't even have to order. They knew what he wanted. Kurenai's next question caught him off guard though.

"How's Sakura?" He peered at the kunoichi. Her expression told him that she was genuinely concerned for the pinkette. He leaned back slightly and closed his eyes the image of her pained expression in the rain that night coming into his mind's eye. How he had carried her home. How she had been in so much pain. Tsunade had said she was better, but he wouldn't really believe that until he saw it. Until he saw exactly how much better her mental state was he would reserve his judgment.

"From what the Hokage told me, she is doing fine. However, I have yet to see evidence of this. I haven't seen her since the funeral," the last statement he added as an afterthought. Kurenai nodded contemplatively. Her sullen expression suddenly turned to one of happiness.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she'll be okay," she said picking up a glass filled with alcohol that sat in front of her, "She has you to look after her. I'm sure she's in good hands." Kakashi tilted his head back and looked at her questioningly. His expression was blank but he couldn't help the drop of the corner of his lips. He didn't mind that everyone knew he was taking care of her. In reality, in the past it had kept creeps at bay from the innocent kunoichi, but it was as if Kurenai saw something, something that he himself had recently found out, and even more something he didn't necessarily want the entire village much less the world to know yet.

He was saved by the bartender who set his choice of poison in front of him. He picked it up taking a generous sip of it. Genma broke the silence.

"Hey, isn't that Sakura?" Kakashi didn't turn his head at first he just peered out of the corner of his eye, but when he saw what she was wearing he couldn't help the involuntary movement of his body. She was in a dress, a really nice looking dress. He tore his eyes away from her before his body started showing any more involuntary reactions that he didn't want. He caught Genma's gaze out of the corner of his eye. He was smirking. Kakashi's eye narrowed at the shinobi who just kept smirking.

Genma hadn't really believed what Naruto had said, but he was willing to test the theory anyway just so he would know if Kakashi, the isolated Copy nin of Konoha who held no emotions, held any sort of affection for Sakura. From the reaction he had just witnessed Naruto had been right. Oh this was going to be interesting. He had to let Kurenai and Gai know of the situation before hand so Naruto's plan would go off without a hitch, and plus it was a plan that allowed Gai to do what he liked doing best. Challenging the silver haired shinobi to a dare except this time it wouldn't be for physical strength. He looked over at Sakura now. She was dressed really nice. The dress looked good on her that was for certain, so far the plan was going beautifully. Genma caught Naruto's eye who nodded as Hinata walked over to the DJ Booth apparently requesting a song. He smirked they had to act quickly. He looked over Kakashi's head, who had returned to his drink, and caught Gai's attention. The taijutsu master just smiled devilishly. Oh, Kakashi. I hope you can forgive us after this.

Gai elbowed his rival, "Hey, Kakashi my eternal rival, I have a dare for you, and if you refuse this dare then all of your records will be erased from memory and I will be the true winner of youthfulness and style!" Kakashi just looked over at the taijutsu master. What could he possibly want to dare him to do now?

"What is it Gai," he drawled setting his drink down. He had a feeling he wasn't going to be able to finish it. Gai's thousand watt smile turned mischievous. Kakashi couldn't help this bad feeling that was settling over him. Gai knew that he wouldn't refuse a challenge much less a dare. What was he planning?

Gai saw Kurenai and Genma smirking at him from behind Kakashi. This was what they all had been waiting for. "I challenge you to ask Miss Haruno Sakura to a dance." There was silence between the four of them. No one dared breathe as they all waited for the Copy nin's response. Kakashi had felt his stomach slightly flip. Why, why had he done that of all things to dare him to he had dared him to this? He could feel his body was tensed up. He really wanted to walk out of the pub. He didn't want to give the rumor mill any more fuel to fire off gossip with. He really didn't want anyone to know about him and Sakura yet, at least not until he could figure out whether or not she felt the same way for him. This would definitely give them material to talk about for the next three months and after that they would be more focused on Kakashi and Sakura than anyone else in the village. They would all take a back burner to this pairing. Kakashi knew this, not because he was being arrogant, but because he had been single for so long the entire village had just been waiting on him to choose someone. After a good minute Kakashi released an audible sigh, he really had no choice but to relent to his opponent's request. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he closed his chocolate eye and rose from his seat. "Just one dance," he said as he walked off seemingly to appear nonchalant. He could practically feel the eyes of his age-mates on him as he made his way to Sakura's table.

Had the Copy nin been able to feel embarrassment this would have been his first time. Sakura, who had seemed rather indulged in her conversation with Shikamaru, didn't see him approach, but the strategist did and he looked up from their conversation.

"Kakashi," he greeted evenly. No doubt the shinobi before him brought back the thought of his last mission. Kakashi felt slightly sorry for that fact, but it was something the shinobi was going to have to move on from.

"Shikamaru," he replied as evenly. He looked over at Sakura who was smiling as was the blonde beside her. Kakashi couldn't help but noticed something akin to recognition in Naruto's blue eyes. His eye narrowed at him, but Sakura's voice tore his gaze from him and back to her.

"Is there something you needed Kakashi-sensei," she asked. Kakashi just smiled down at her as he held out his hand to her.

"I was wondering if I could trouble you for a minute of your time, Gai has dared me to dance with you." A deep red tint rose to Sakura's face as she stared at him with those deep emerald green eyes. He could get lost in those if he wasn't careful. Everyone in the table seemed shocked except for two: Hyuuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto. He made a mental note to hunt down Naruto later and pin him to a wall. He would get to the bottom of this; however, for now he was to concentrate on the very flustered looking kunoichi in front of him. Sakura had apparently gotten over her shock.

"Alright," she said taking his hand and rising to her feet. She smiled at him, "Wouldn't want you to lose a dare on account of me." Kakashi smiled as he led her onto the sparsely filled dance floor as a song began to play. He rested his hands on her hips as her hands went up to rest on his shoulders. It wasn't as if Kakashi hadn't done this before, but somehow this time it was different. He supposed it had to do with the fact that he was dancing with the person he cared about most. He was thankful for his mask at times like these. He didn't want to give away too much. He noticed Sakura's face was slightly bowed.

_You touch these tired eyes of mine, and map my face out line by line, and some how growing old feels fine. _

He closed his good eye taking in the words of the song. They intrigued him.

_I listen close for I'm not smart, You wrap your thoughts in works of art, and their hanging on the walls of my heart. _

He could feel chills go down his spine as the sway of her hips beneath his fingers got to him. Or that's what he thought it was, but he knew it was the lyrics of this song.

_I may not have the softest touch, I may not say the words as such, though I may not look like much, I'm yours. And though my edges may be rough, I never feel I'm quite enough, it may not seem like very much, but I'm yours. _

His eyes opened. If he could say anything to her, it would be these words. Where had they gotten this song? His gaze was averted to Sakura who was now looking up at him. He felt the world around him slowly melt away in her eyes. It was just the two of them swaying to this eternally haunting music to him. He felt at peace. A small smile graced his features as he pulled her closer to him. She didn't resist him. She was looking up at him with such trust in her eyes. He couldn't help when his gaze softened on her.

_You healed these scars over time, embraced my soul, you loved my mind, you're the only angel in my life. _

He felt her right hand travel up to the side of his neck. Her fingertips caressed the skin there just below his hair line. He inclined his head toward hers their eyes never leaving each other.

_The day news came my best friend died, my knees went weak and you saw me cry, say I'm still the soldier in your eyes. _

Kakashi felt her fingertips entangle themselves in his hair. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Kakashi's expression didn't change but a pain resounded in his chest at her tears. He wanted her to feel safe. He wanted to protect her from the world again. He pulled her closer to his chest. She attempted to look away from him, but he lifted a hand from her hips and turned her face back toward him. He just his thumb to gently wipe away her tears; his calloused war-ridden hands that probably felt like sandpaper to her soft skin.

_I may not have the softest touch, I may not say the words as such , and though I may not look like much, I'm yours. And though my edges may be rough, I never feel like I'm quite enough, it may not seem like very much, but I'm yours. _

And instrumental took over at this part. Sakura leaned into his touch closing her eyes against his hand. Kakashi was shocked at her reaction. Did she? Could she? He felt his heartbeat quicken at these thoughts. He closed his eyes ridding him of them. He'd figure that out later. Right now he was holding her in his arms again and she was crying. She needed him to comfort her.

Unbeknownst to them the entire pub was bent on watching this display. Looks of shock mostly coming from everyone but Naruto and Hinata, but the most shocked look of all had to come from Gai. He hadn't expected this from his eternal rival. He could feel his face set into a smile at the sight of his rival hunched over the emotional kunoichi. The room was too quiet that they had obviously become oblivious to while in each other's presence. They all felt like they were witnessing something intimate between the two. Like a special moment that no one else was meant to see, and while they wanted to watch no one dared make a noise. The entire village knew of the pain these two held in their lives. And if anyone had asked…they were the two that were the most unlikely but also the most deserving of one another.

_I may not have the softest touch, I may not say the words as such, I know I don't fit in that much, but I'm yours. _

The song ended prettily and Kakashi and Sakura were shocked back to reality. Kakashi released her from his grasp but didn't move his hand from her face. "Are you okay, Sakura," he asked a slight concerned look in his eye. Sakura merely nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest. She was in pain over her best friend, but at the same time she was elated after dancing with him. She couldn't tell him that though. She was pretty sure he didn't feel the same way. The dance had been a dare after all. Of course he doesn't like you! You're his student! He could never see you that way! She chided herself. This, however, just made more tears form in her eyes as she gazed at the man before her. She could tell his worry was growing. She pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said as she fled from him and ran out of the pub. Everyone watched as Kakashi just stood there watching after the fleeing girl. Naruto was instantly on his feet. He looked at Kakashi to see what he was going to do. His posture told Kakashi that if he wasn't going to go after her that he would. Kakashi's eye narrowed at him. What had his plan been exactly? He then looked over at his age-mates who all seemed to be in shock. He wasn't one to chase after fleeing girls. If they hadn't wanted to get away from someone they wouldn't have run was his logical way of thinking, but he knew that with Sakura it was different. He knew her situation. And he possibly knew it a little bit better now. She had shown him something that he hadn't been exactly expecting. There was a flick of hope inside his chest. He closed his eye. He had made his decision. He shot Gai a nasty look before he made his way to the door slowly, but as soon as he was out of sight began to run.

Sakura's breath was coming to her in shaking gasps. She had long lost her shoes in the street somewhere as she had pushed herself to run faster and harder. She had no set destination and to be honest she didn't care. She just wanted to get away, away from the pain and the hurt. She caught her foot on something and fell face forward onto the hard, unforgiving ground. Her body exploded in pain. She didn't move though. She didn't feel like it. Her eyes filled with tears again. She had loved the dance. Perhaps a little too much, she sat up and looked at the sky. It was beautiful tonight. The stars were shining clear in the night sky. She had steadied her breathing when she heard the sound of footfalls behind her. She didn't have to look to know who it was. Suddenly it all got silent.

"Sakura." She shivered at his voice saying her name. It was ghostly silent around them making her name echo. His tone would have sounded even to anyone, anyone but her. She could pick up on the subtlety of concern it held. Concern for her. She turned her head to see Kakashi behind her. He looked nearly angelic in the moonlight as it glinted off of his figure casting shadows making him look mysterious. His hands as always were in his pockets as usual and he was looking down at her. His eyes held a certain glint in them she didn't recognize in the man that she loved. He removed a hand from his pocket and held it out to her. She hesitantly took it, and Sakura's eyes widened as in one swift movement he had her on her feet, pulled to his chest, and his arms wrapped securely around her. Sakura's arms were just hanging to the side. Her eyes softened as she raised them to wrap around his middle. Kakashi's head was rested on her shoulder in the crook of her neck. His body was bent in an awkward angle, but he didn't seem to mind it. Sakura's eyes closed as she leaned into his embrace. His voice made her open her eyes.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Her eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched his jounin flak jacket. She was trembling. This bothered Kakashi. She buried her face into his neck as she responded.

"I can't tell you." Kakashi was taken aback and slightly hurt. He had known everything about her and how she felt up until now.

"Why?" He could feel her start to shake in earnest. He couldn't tell if it was from her tears or if she was nervous. He hadn't moved from where he had been. His eye was open and his brow was slightly knitted. He was racking his brain a mile a minute for an answer. What was something that could be wrong with her that she couldn't tell him. He could only think of one thing, but he refused to allow his mind to think that selfishly at this moment in time.

"It would change everything," she said barely above a whisper, "I don't want to lose anyone." Kakashi's one eye widened but he didn't move. The flicker of hope inside his chest had now grown to a flame. Everything pointed to it. There was no mistaking it. However, he didn't want to get himself too worked up incase that wasn't it, and in any case he wouldn't push her to tell him something she wasn't ready to see herself. A smile came across his face. He now knew. It was his secret, one that he would hide deep within his heart until she was ready for him to share it with her.

Kakashi pulled away from Sakura now noticing her reluctance to let him go. He suppressed the smile that was threatening to overcome him. He gave her his closed eye smile instead. "I understand." He said still resting a hand on her shoulder as his other one habitually slipped back into his pocket. Sakura just looked at him curiously. He never gave up that easy. "Now, let's get you home." Sakura nodded. They began to walk back to her house as Kakashi wrapped an arm around her shoulder pulling her to his side as a cold breeze rippled through the streets. He didn't want her to catch a cold after all.


	8. Chapter 8

I hope you liked the last chapter. I plan on trying to update more often to give you something to read while you can. I will be joining the armed forces here sometime. I think my ship out date will be pushed back further, but for the moment who knows. I appreciate your support of my story so far as crazy and weird as it has been, and in all honesty this fic started out as an Itachi Saku fic. Haha my how it has grown. I am also taking story requests. I'm not sure what to write after this one, and I am not saying this fic will end any time soon, but I would like to know what my readers think.

-Requiem_-_

_Boon_- wish or blessing

_Okaa-san-_ mother

_Otome-_ daughter

**Prescripto 13: **If you noticed in the beginning of the chapter it was more of Hinata's doing. Haha. Naruto just had done what she had told him to do.

**MichealisElly: **I am glad that you enjoyed it. I try to make it emotionally binding. When you do that in a story the reader is more emotionally invested in the story, the characters, and the overall outcome of their existence. I am an actual writer who has written quite a few stories of my very own outside of Fanfiction. I try to make each an every work I produce like an actual novel or story in its own right. I appreciate the praise of my work and abilities as a writer. It is very encouraging.

**Random: ** I am glad that you like it.

**KagomeAngel91: **It'll get better I promise. The night is darkest before the dawn.

Chapter Eight

Itachi's eyes were closed as his back leaned against a wall. He hadn't been hurt in the skirmish against the Konoha and Sand nin. Not like the majority of his comerades who were now well on their way to recovery even the seemingly dead Deidara. Itachi had honestly wished him death, but something inside the shinobi had kept him alive even after the nearly fatalistic damage Hatake Kakashi had inflicted upon him. It was honestly a wonder how he had survived, and he was in no means in any shape to fight at the moment. The damage was crippling not fatal. He would be let go from the Akatsuki upon his recovery, Itachi knew that much. However, with someone like Deidara who held grudges, much like he had against Itachi after he had beaten him in order to acquire him for the Akatsuki's purposes and further beatings he had received from him, there would be no peace. He would continue to fight until he was dead. Even in his crippled state. He would try to fulfill his plan of revenge. It sickeningly reminded him too much of his younger brother, and at this point in time Deidara would be just as desperate.

A voice awoke Itachi from his thoughts. "Pein has decided to take action against Konoha." Itachi opened his eyes to see Kisame standing in front of him. Out of all of the Akatsuki members Kisame and himself had sustained the least of the injuries. Kisame who had been sufficiently knocked out by Hatake recovered nearly over night. Itachi didn't say anything at the news. The only thing that flitted across his mind at the mention of Konoha was a certain pinkette.

"When?" Was Itachi's only response. Kisame replied.

"Soon, Pein intends to draw them out of their village. He had planted spies in another village to entice them out of their comfort zone, payed off a few people, and orchestrated an ambush to occur at his will. He plans on retaking what is rightfully ours. We have a captured member after all." Itachi didn't make a move to acknowledge what Kisame had said. He remained still as a stone. His mind was a different story. How were they going to deal with their wayward medic once she was restored to them? Itachi didn't like the idea of chaining her up like a prisoner. She had been treated very poorly last time she had been in their care. It had been enough to persuade her leaving was the best option. Itachi was sure though that with time she'd come around to it. To the Akatsuki or to him? Itachi chided himself harshly at that slip of thought. Itachi rose from his position on the wall and turned to leave for his room in their newly refurbished compound. The only response he gave Kisame was a nearly inaudible 'Hn'.

XXX

Kakashi languidly walked the village heading toward his intended target: the Hokage tower. He and his team were to report to the Hokage for a mission briefing, but he had been called early for some reason or another. This was nothing new to the Copy nin. He was usually called before his team to a personal debrief of the mission especially if it was high risk. A part of him didn't like the fact that Sakura was going on this mission if it were high risk, but he wouldn't want her with anyone else.

He flared his chakra as he approached the door and raised a hand to knock. The Hokage's voice sounded through the door.

"Come in Kakashi." Kakashi obeyed opening the door. Her loyal bodyguards were leaning on the wall in front of the door. One of them he recognized as Genma. His eye slightly narrowed at the man he imagined to be smirking beneath his mask. He really didn't want to deal with him right now.

Tsunade seeing his glare at Genma could barely hold back a smirk. Oh yes, she knew about what transpired in the pub the night before. It wasn't as if she had to twist anybody's arm to find out either. The entire village was a buzz with new gossip. She had to merely hang her head out of her window and listen. She wasn't going to push the subject with him today. It would be too fresh. She'd wait a little while, but she did have to hand it to Naruto whatever he'd done it had definitely stirred up something. Kakashi leaned against the wall across from her desk as per usual his even gaze upon her and his arms tucked away in his pockets.

"You summoned me Hokage-sama," he said his tone even as if nothing in the world was bothering him at this point in time. Tsunade got straight to the point.

"Your mission is going to be a little risky Kakashi. That is why after a little deliberation I have assigned Hyuuga Hinata to your team as well. She will surely be an asset," she paused to take in his demeanor. Nothing changed. "You are going to once again be investigating Akatsuki activity, but you will be undercover. At least a couple of you will. I have yet to decide that couple. But you will stake out a couple in the village of Tanigakure no Sato. The ruler Shibuki is the client. He has requested our help. He will not bother you nor will he acknowledge your existence. All of the shinobi in Tanigakure will know you are there and upon the discovery and appearance of the Akatsuki his shinobi will assist you. That being said the Akatsuki themselves have not made an appearance, but their familiars have. This only means that the Akatsuki have some interest in the village and will be coming around to check on it soon. I know you have recently gotten done dealing with the Akatsuki; however, I believe that is why your team is the right one to send out. Surely you can understand that logic." Kakashi didn't say a word. He seemed to be in thought. Then the glazed look in his chocolate eye vanished.

"Of course Hokage-sama." It bothered Tsunade sometimes how agreeable he was. He showed no emotion ever in either range of displeasure or approval. He just did what he was told like a good little shinobi was suppose to do. He was too good at that. Tsunade sighed as she laced her fingers in front of her resting her lips upon them. She continued to gaze at one of the best shinobi in her village. If not the best. She couldn't quite read him today. It was as if he was locking every single thing away. Like he was holding an ace card that no one but he could see. It was like an ultimate game of poker that could only be won by expression no matter the cards you held in your hand. Sometimes she found him interesting. The Copy nin of Konoha.

"Alright," she finally answered sitting back up in her seat, "Rally your team and meet me back here in an hour. I will inform you of the assigned couple upon your return. You are dismissed." Kakashi bowed his head in respect to her as he swiftly left her sight. She didn't know about him.

"What do you think is going through his head today Genma?" She addressed looking out of the window before her. There was slight movement to her right from the said shinobi.

"I'm not sure Hokage-sama," he responded, "I've not really ever seen him this uptight. At least not since Rin died." Tsunade nodded. Maybe it was fear. Her eyes slightly widened. Kakashi Hatake was afraid? Now thinking about it, it did make sense. He had lost everyone he had ever cared about. Rin, Obito, Sakumo, and eventually the Yodaime, his sensei to the Nine tailed Fox. He had been so distant for so long maybe he was afraid to lose someone now that they were attempting to get close to him again, but that meant that he knew how Sakura felt. Tsunade's smile twitched up even more. Now all she had to do was to see if Sakura knew. Today was going to be interesting indeed.

XXX

Kakashi sighed audibly at his newfound predicament. He had known the mission would be high risk, but he hadn't expected Tsunade to throw them back at the Akatsuki, especially with Sakura just emotionally recovering from it. The kunoichi wasn't as well off as the Hokage had thought. Last night had proven as much. Granted she was eating and she was doing something with herself. That was a boon, but other than that she was still just as scarred and just as worn down as she had been a week prior. He hadn't really been paying too much mind to where his feet were taking him, but he trusted his subconscious enough to let it lead every once in awhile. This time it lead him toward the training grounds.

He spotted an orange garbed, blonde haired shinobi practicing taijutsu with Rock Lee. Kakashi stood back for a moment and watched his former student. He was getting better but the taijutsu master in training still had the upper hand on him. He smiled subtly at the scene before him. It was as if they were going to be the new Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai in the future. They would get along better too. More of the same persona and they both had a soft spot for Sakura. He felt his chest tighten at that thought. A certain dark emotion riddled him at the thought of them with Sakura. Jealousy? He shook his head clearing his thoughts. No time for that right now. There was never any time. He was awoken from his thoughts by Naruto sailing past him and landing squarely on a tree.

"Naruto, it's not wise to let your guard down." The said shinobi nearly jumped out of his skin at Kakashi's voice. He fell face first to the ground and then looked up at Kakashi who had his one eyed smile. It amused the silver haired jounin that he could still catch him off guard and warrant such a reaction. He had been too focused on Lee. He couldn't blame him though it would take a lot of concentration to keep up with the young taijutsu master. He looked up at Lee and saw him bowing to him respectfully.

"Hatake-san," he greeted breathing heavily. Kakashi inclined his head in Lee's direction.

"Lee," he said evenly. Naruto by this point was on his feet and standing beside Kakashi.

"We have a mission. Go to the Hokage's tower in forty five minutes." Naruto merely nodded trying to catch his breath then he smiled.

"You got it Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi just smiled at him. He paused before leaving though. It was a perfect time for this.

"Naruto, what exactly were you planning to happen last night between me and Sakura?" Naruto froze looking at his former sensei. He suddenly broke out in a huge grin raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck. Something Kakashi recognized as his nervous twitch. He was trying to hide something.

"What do you mean Kakashi-sensei? Gai was the one who dared you to dance with Sakura." Lee's expression had changed to shock. Kakashi mentally face palmed at the blatancy of Naruto.

"Naruto, you still need to learn subtlety. Do you think Sakura would appreciate everyone knowing what happened last night especially after an exit like hers?" Naruto's grin fell as his hand left his neck.

"But Kakashi, she's fine. I checked on her this morning right before she went to the.." Naruto stopped short and Kakashi's eye narrowed. He knew exactly where she had gone, and probably where she was right now exactly. Kakashi turned from Naruto.

"Whatever you were trying to pull Naruto, it didn't really work. And if you see Hinata Hyuuga inform her of the mission. She is on our team as well." He started walking away from Naruto leaving the blond flabbergasted behind him.

Naruto just watched Kakashi's receding figure. He had been so sure that it would work. Or at least Hinata had been. His brow furrowed. What had gone wrong? He was awoken from his thoughts by Lee.

"Hatake-san danced with Sakura?" Naruto mentally rolled his eyes as he turned back to the taijutsu expert.

"Yes, your master dared him to it." Naruto retorted stretching slightly. The impact of the tree had hurt. Lee's eyes widened at the newfound information. "Well, I've got to go find Hinata." He said leaving the taijutsu expert to his thoughts.

XXX

Sakura was standing beneath the tree she had sat under during Ino's funeral. Her eyes were closed. Today was semi warm. It was beginning to feel like spring. A warm breeze flowed around her. It felt comforting to her. Her fingertips were pressed against the cold surface of the Memorial Stone. Her fingers had long since found the name and had been tracing it for what seemed like an hour _Yamanaka Ino_. Her heart clenched at the thought of her friend's long blonde hair, scheming blue eyes, and soft kind demeanor when she had been in need of it. She missed her. She opened her eyes sadly as she remembered all the times Ino had been there for her. All the times she had needed someone. All the times they had fought. She smiled at the memory of their chunin exams. _Ino-pig! Billboard Brow!_ Her heartached slightly at the memories but certain warmth spread through her as well. She was finally getting over it, somewhat. She sighed as she leaned her head back and looked skyward. Sunlight was glinting through the leaves of the tree above her seemingly winking at her. She smiled imagining it was Ino. She felt much better.

"I thought I'd find you here." She turned to see Kakashi walking up behind her. He was smiling slightly. Sakura sent him a small smile of her own. She felt slightly caught like a child with their hand in the cookie jar, but at the same time she didn't feel bad at all for it. Kakashi had been found here many times himself and if anyone understood it was the man standing before her.

"I had to come see her," Sakura explained as she looked back at the Memorial Stone. Kakashi walked up beside her. She knew she didn't have to explain anything to him. He would understand.

"I know," Kakashi responded gazing at the stone himself finding the names he had looked upon for so long that he didn't even have to search for them anymore. He then looked down to where Sakura's fingers were resting on the newly engraved name. He smiled at it. "We have a mission," he said quietly, "Report to the Hokage's tower in thirty minutes." Sakura nodded.

"Are we to be already packed?" Kakashi shook his head.

"No, it's just a briefing." He said evenly returning his hand to his pocket.

"Alright," she said her eyes not leaving the stone. She finally closed her eyes and walked away from it her hair swaying behind her. It had grown long Kakashi noticed. A sudden memory came to his mind.

_"Sakura, you should let your hair grow out," he said softly,"it looks good that way." Sakura just nodded. _

"_Okay."_

He smiled to himself, even more evidence. He walked off in the opposite direction. He'd see her soon enough. She needed some time to herself.

XXX

Tsunade had her fingers laced together in front of her waiting patiently. Before her stood Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi who had even been five minutes late. Sakura, for once, was the one they were waiting on. Tsunade knew where she was. Everyone knew where she was. Tsunade couldn't blame her. She'd let it slide just this once. The door opened to reveal the pinkette walking into the office. She didn't even glance at Tsunade. She didn't offer up an excuse like Kakashi would have. She just walked to her place on the wall in front of the desk and leaned against it crossing her arms. Tsunade noted she wasn't looking at her. She decided not to mention it and continued as if everything was fine.

"Right as I have already informed your Taichou, your mission will be to Tanigakure. Shibuki has requested this team specifically. The Akatsuki have made some activity of their familiars apparent to him. We are strictly on a reconnaissance mission," she said looking pointedly at Naruto and Kakashi before her gaze settled on Sakura, "Upon the appearance of the Akatsuki the Tanigakure no Sato nin will step in to assist you. You won't be out numbered. Shibuki has requested Konoha nin due to our recent spats with the Akatsuki ourselves. We are most up to date on the condition as well as abilities of the Akatsuki members and their number strength," she said referring to the death of Deidara. Kakashi could feel his lips turn up slightly at the implication. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride flow through himself at the thought of his death. "That being said everyone will know of your presence in the village but the civilians and the Akatsuki. The reconnaissance will be done mostly by a primary couple; however, for this mission I have decided to pair you off as newlyweds or engaged couples. The couples have been predetermined based off of the skills of both shinobi and how they compliment each other's fighting techniques." Tsunade paused. "Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura will be newly engaged. Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata will be newly married. All of you will keep in contact with a transmitter. The battery should last for a month. I doubt it will take you that long to lure out the Akatsuki though. The primary couple will be Hatake and Haruno. Naruto and Hinata you will be back up. You leave within the hour. Are there any questions?" The room was deathly silent. Tsunade smirked. She had placed them accordingly on purpose, partly because she enjoyed match making and partly because she had Sakura's welfare at the forefront of her mind. Knowing that Sakura would feel very uncomfortable due to the fact that they would once again be dealing with the Akatsuki, she had placed her with the man who had literally gone through hell and back to rescue her from them. She knew Kakashi would again if he had to. Their emotional bond at this point was just a plus that ensured her safety to Tsunade. And in all honesty their skills would have logically paired them this way. Sakura's brute strength and prowess in medical as well as her jutsu techiniques mirrored and complimented Kakashi's sharingan, taijutsu, lightening techniques, and tactical mind perfectly. Sakura was the humane voice for life while Kakashi's was a voice of strategy and survival that sometimes let the weak die while the strong lived to fight another day. Perfectly matched.

Kakashi was glad that his mask covered his face. Had he been anyone else for the second time this week he would have blushed in slight embarrassment, but the silver haired jounin was more shocked than anything else. He had known they would be doing reconnaissance, but he had no idea it would be done in this manner. He should have foreseen it. He chanced a glance at Tsunade who was looking at him. His eye narrowed. He should have known she would do this to them though with the way she had questioned him the day before and with how the gossip mill was pretty much on fire from the events of last night. It was only just a matter of time before Tsunade herself became involved with it. He closed his eye and relaxed. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

Naruto was smirking at Tsunade. He knew that she would be willing to help his little plan along. Well his and Hinata. She had been the mastermind behind last night. He never would have been able to pull off something as complicated and girly as that by himself. She was all to thank. He glanced at Sakura who seemed unphased at the moment as well as Kakashi. They were both like the same person right now due to Sakura's emotional state. When she got overly hurt she would close it all off much like Kakashi did. Normally, she would have said something by now. Everyone in the room seemed to notice her silence he observed. Even Tsunade was looking at her with concern. It was because of the damn Akatsuki. His fist clenched at the thought of them. What they had done to Sakura. He was going to wipe the organization off of the face of the earth even if it took until he became Hokage to do it. They had hurt his friend more than he or anyone else could repair. He relaxed when he felt Hinata's hand on his arm beside him. He looked down at her. She held a look of concern in her eyes. He just smiled down at her. He didn't want her to worry. He didn't even know if she knew. Tsunade's voice brought them all back to reality.

"Alright, you are dismissed." All of the shinobi turned to leave but Sakura. She stayed where she was. Kakashi turned to look back at her and then to Tsunade who just nodded at him to take his leave. He left closing the door behind him. Tsunade looked down at her student who hadn't said a word this entire time.

"Shishou, I was wondering if I could have a word with you. Alone." Tsunade's eyes softened at her premeditated subject of conversation. Tsunade looked at Genma and Raido who were leaning against the wall. Both bodyguards took this as their sign to leave and did so quickly. Once the men were outside of her office, Tsunade made several hand seals. The room was secure and sound proof. The room was still silent though. She looked at her adopted daughter in a motherly way.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sakura remained quiet her head still bowed. Then she looked up at Tsunade her eyes filled with tears. Tsunade was shocked. She didn't really show this type of emotion to her. She could tell she was hurting and something was incredibly wrong.

"Okaa-san, I don't think I can do this," she said softly. Tsunade's demeanor softened at the affectionate term she had taken to using when they were alone.

"Otome," Tsunade said softly, "The only reason you are going on this mission is because you know the lay out of the Akatsuki lair well. Shibuki thinks they are using the old run down hide out not far from Tanigakure. That is the only reason you are going otherwise I would have kept this mission from you," she said eyeing Sakura levelly to make sure she understood the sincerity in her words. "I have chosen Kakashi as your partner because I know he will take care of you and you two have a certain bond that you need to be able to access right now. I know you are still hurting, you are still recovering, and that going on this mission will reopen barely healed wounds, but you have to do this. After this I will give you a month's paid leave but I need you to do this for me Otome. Okay?" Sakura had bowed her head again. She looked to the floor but said nothing. Finally her level voice broke the new silence.

"Okay." It broke Tsunade's heart to do this to her, but it had to be done and her words had been nothing but honest. She didn't want to send her out so soon after incurring so much trauma. It was unfair. It was greedy of her to ask, but it had to be done. Tsunade bowed her head as Sakura pushed off of the wall. She let her arms fall to her side. "May I take my leave Shishou to pack with my team?" Tsunade just nodded her dismissal. She watched Sakura's receding figured. It was riddled with fear, pain, and stress. All of which could have been avoided. Tsunade pulled out a sake bottle from her desk as her bodyguards reentered her office. This was going to be a long day.

XXX

Kakashi was sitting on the archway to the village waiting for his team to arrive. So far Hinata had made it. He glanced off down the road to see Naruto in the distance and beyond him he could see a glint of pink. Sakura. He snapped the book shut deftly slipping it into his weapons pouch. He turned his body to the front one leg hanging off of the archway as he waited. He looked down at Hinata. Her gaze was riveted to the approaching blonde as it always had been. Naruto hadn't known of Hinata's feelings until here recently. His lips twitched upward at the thought. They were good together. Naruto reached them shortly then they were waiting on Sakura. Her demeanor had changed from her once fiery, cheerful, compassionate, happy self to this depressed, sad, hurt, broken person that she was now. It hurt Kakashi to see her like this. He was determined to help her rebound.

When Sakura reached them Kakashi dropped from his perch. He looked at his team of capable, loyal shinobi. Some riddled by their pain from the past, some striving to prove their strength in the future, and yet some still trying to deal with the hardships of the present, but through it all they were still standing, still there, and ready to fulfill their mission to the best that they knew how. To anyone else this team would have been deemed uncommandable, but to Kakashi they were perfect. He smiled his one eyed smile at them as they all looked at him faces set and posture solid.

"Let's go."

XXX

It had been three hours or so since they had set out from Konoha and Sakura's mind had long been lost in thought. She was thinking about the Akatsuki and how she would have to face them again. She wasn't looking forward to it at all. She shuddered at the thought of what Deidara had done to her. Normally, according to experience in treating rape victims, they would have been more scarred, but with Ino's death shortly after her trauma she hadn't had time to think about her own abuse. She was too busy focused on the loss of her friend, and had she been the more relationship oriented type with physical interaction with males…it might have bothered her more. The thing was though, it didn't. The only male who she wanted to touch her was Kakashi and that hadn't changed since her rape. In fact, she had wanted his touch more since the rape, and this was another typical scenario for rape victims. They would want who they considered to be their significant other to hold them and comfort them as if to erase what the attacker had done to them. In that way Sakura had deduced that she was using Kakashi, who had only thought to comfort her. That made her feel guilty, but it wasn't as if he held any true feelings of that type for her. Not that she thought any way.

Sakura's mind now flickered to the events of last night. It had been a challenge by Maito Gai. Kakashi, proud that he was, would never turn down a challenge by his childhood rival especially when Gai had made it so easy for Kakashi to win. He knew Sakura wouldn't let Kakashi lose the challenge to Gai and that she would dance with him. Or maybe that was the point. Naruto had heard her admit her feelings for the silver haired shinobi that night that he almost died. Her eyes narrowed. It had been a set up by Naruto to try and get them together. She was going to give him a piece of her mind. Kakashi didn't feel anything for her. That was certain and she didn't need Naruto opening wounds like that and rubbing it in her face. She couldn't take it right now. She was in too vulnerable a state.

Sakura's gaze focused on the blond in front of her. Had she not been in her right mind she would have launched herself forward and planted a solid punch to the back of the blond shinobi's skull, but she had matured since her hot-headed, spur of the moment, teenage self. She was twenty-three and past childlike expressions of emotion. At this point she was past all expressions of emotion. She settled for sighing softly as she felt her feet meet another branch in front of her. This caught the blonde's attention though.

Naruto looked back at Sakura who happened to be looking up at him. He shot her a smile and she scowled back at him. His brow furrowed in confusion as he fell back in pace to jump beside her. "What's wrong Sakura-chan?" He said concerned. He had to strain to hear her next words.

"You Baka! I know what you did last night was to try to get me and Kakashi together! He doesn't even like me Naruto! And even though you heard me admit my feelings for him it doesn't mean you have to go off and tell him. I'm lucky he didn't hear me because never in a thousand years would Kakashi Hatake fall for someone like me!" She was whisper screaming by this point. Naruto was in shock. How could she not see?

"But Sakura-chan…" he started to say but then Hinata's words came back to him. She had told him that the two of them needed to discover each other's feelings on their own. It would do no good to tell the two shinobi of how they felt for each other. The road to discovering it would make a stronger bond. Naruto had suggested that was what they did, but Hinata was a girl and had a different way of thinking about things like this. Usually she was more right than Naruto's one track mind about these things. "Alright," he said stuffing his hands in his pockets. He'd do what Hinata said, but that didn't mean he liked it. He felt like he was keeping a secret from the two of his best friends. It was aggravating but they were well worth it.

Sakura couldn't believe that Naruto had given up that easily. She glanced over at him to make sure he was okay. His skin tone was right and everything. His pupils were the right size and his body looked to be functioning okay. Then a slight smile spread across her lips. It must have been Hinata. That girl was good for him, and she was happy that her friend had found happiness in his pain ridden life. Her eyes softened. "You know, I am happy for you," she said softly. Naruto looked over at her in question. "You two are really good for each other." Naruto's smile of recognition graced his features.

"Yeah, she's great." He said looking at the back of his six month girlfriend. The Hyuuga heiress was running in front of them gracefully. Naruto just smiled at her lovingly. Sakura couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy but at the same time she was genuinely pleased that he had finally opened his eyes to her feelings. She had loved him for a very long time, and when she heard that they were going out she had been the first one to throw a party for them. They both deserved it as well as each other. Hinata's quiet demeanor and Naruto's overly boisterous attitude went well together. The only one who could calm the Jinchuriki down was the soft spoken kunoichi before them which was quite humorous since he was overly loud and obnoxious. Well he use to be. The beauty definitely tamed the beast.

Kakashi hadn't heard a word of what Sakura had said to Naruto, but from her posture and hushed tones he could tell it was something she didn't want to be overheard. Naruto had looked scandalous at first but his demeanor had quickly changed to calm. He was intrigued. He further observed Naruto's expression as he gazed at Hinata. That was closely followed by Sakura's gaze but hers looked more longing. He was curious. What was she longing of? It hadn't taken him long to deduce the answer, and Kakashi could completely understand. Loneliness. It was one of the major bedbugs for shinobi. They were solitary people fighting constantly in a solitary lifestyle full of death, destruction, and pain. He had many times felt that loneliness, but as his life had progressed he had eventually gotten over that. That was until here recently when he began to favor the presence of the pinkette. It was okay though. She wouldn't be lonely on this mission.

He had been thinking it over as they had traveled. Even though this was a serious reconnaissance mission, he was going to take the time to show Sakura what a real relationship could be like and maybe along the way she would discover or recognize his feelings for her. And possibly by the end of the mission she might be ready for something real. That is if she was mentally ready for that. He wasn't sure though. The Akatsuki would prove a problem, but according to Tsunade's information they hadn't reared their ugly heads yet. They still had time. Time. That's all life ever was. A continuous ticking of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years…in a continuous cycle. Time had seemed to get away from the aged shinobi. At thirty-seven he was still in good shape, but he was just that, thirty-seven. Well into his middle ages. Most men his age were thinking about or already had settled down, married, had children, and had a family with heirs to their names and bloodlines. He had nothing like that, and as time went on her had begun to think about what he would leave behind besides a name and records in a bingo book.

He shook his head of those thoughts. They were distracting at this point. He needed to focus. He needed to focus on the mission, but he also needed to focus on her. He had never felt like this with anyone before. Not even Rin. She was his one chance at a life, a life he had always wanted. As he had thought over his feelings and analyzed everything that had passed between them and how their relationship had slowly and silently matured and developed he had realized that. He was getting older, but at the same time he was willing to wait for her as long as it took because it was her he wanted. His gaze focused on the land before them. They would reach the border of Tanigakure in an hour.

XXX

Kakashi and his team crouched before the Hidden Village's border. He was handing out the transmitter to Naruto who hastily stuffed it into his backpack. He was going over orders quickly.

"Since we are in a village that is in full cooperation with our efforts this will be much easier than normal missions. The ruler or Tanigakure no Sato has supplied us with two apartment complexes to live out of for the time being. Naruto here is the key to your and Hinata's apartment. It is on the east side of the village while my and Sakura's is on the western side. I suppose you all brought rings to pretend with?" The shinobi around him nodded. "Good. Tonight at 0800 turn on your receiver, I'll be transmitting a message to you then to assure the functionality of the transmitter and to see whether or not you paid attention in the academy." Naruto scowled at that comment. Kakashi just smiled his infamous smile at him. "Feel free to roam the village though. We will be here for awhile and you will need to get comfortable with our surroundings. We will also need to change our appearances in some way," he added, "I would suggest cutting or coloring hair with temporary solutions for the time being. Naruto you could grow a beard." Naruto grinned at the prospect. Kakashi subdued a chuckle at his expression.

"What about you Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi shrugged.

"Any questions before we depart?" There were none. "Your apartment shouldn't be hard to find. The complex name and room number are on the tag attached to the key. If you get lost ask for directions. Good way to fit in as new comers." The shinobi nodded as they paired off. They had long since all changed into civilian clothing. Naruto was in a black sweater with khaki pants. It fit him rather nicely. Hintata had a simple purple dress with long sleeves that was knee length with her sandals. Kakashi was wearing a black, skin tight, long sleeved t-shirt with his normal pants minus the weapons compartments. He used a modified bandanna to cover his eye and face where his hitai-ate and mask should have been. His hair had fallen down haphazardly making him look slightly dangerous and as he had been told before more attractive. At the time he could have laughed, but right now he was hoping that statement rang true. It was one of the ways he had conjured to swoon Sakura by appealing to her from his eligible male side. He had to admit though she was looking good as well. She had on a red long sleeved shirt that was a little tight around the chest and waist area. She had on black, capri, tight pants and black sandals. She had removed her hitai-ate and let her hair fall long down her back. It was really pretty to him. He hoped she wouldn't cut it. She turned to look at him as he regarded her. She gave him a quizzical look. She was fishing through her bag for something when it hit him. "Hold on." He said pulling something out of the side pocket of his knapsack. Sakura looked up at him an eyebrow raised. He held the box in his hands from his kneeling position and opened it. She was standing before him and looked down at the box. Kakashi would have laughed at how it looked if he wasn't so focused on the mission. Suddenly an idea hit him. He smirked. "Would you be my fiancee for the mission Sakrua?" She nearly blanched. All of the color drained from her face and then was rushed back to her face redder than she had been in a long time. Kakashi nearly chuckled as a smirk spread across her lips.

"Baka." He just smiled at her his one eyed smile. Sakura looked back down at the ring. It was gorgeous. It was a silver band but the band was a wolf two of them leaping around each other. The gemstone was a triangular cut aquamarine mounted in the middle of the two wolves. It was quite beautiful, simple, and practical. Sakura looked at Kakashi in question though. "Whose ring is this?"

Kakashi rose to his feet as he stood before her. "It was my mother's. Once you start becoming familiar in town the ladies will want to see your ring. No cheapo would do. They would know the difference." Sakura nearly blanched.

"But Kakashi! This is your mother's ring! I couldn't possibly take this! What if I lose it?!" Kakashi had long since turned his back on her and was packing his knapsack back securely. He turned to face her with an actual smile on his face.

"I trust you." Sakura glanced back down at the ring in the box she held. She took it out carefully and slid it onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly. She felt heat rise to her face at this fact. Like it had been made for her…She quickly chided herself thinking that stupid, romantic tendencies were going to get her and Kakashi killed on her part. She handed the box back to him and she used some genjutsu on her hair creating a henge. Kakashi turned back around to look at her now medium brown hair. It was a shock to him at first but it didn't look bad. He was just glad she hadn't decided to cut it.

"When we get into town I can get some dye to color it about this color. What do you think?" She asked casually as she slung her pack over her shoulder. Kakashi smiled at her. Hair and its color a definite woman thing that he would never understand, and women would never fully understand that he, along with the rest of the male population, didn't really care what style it was cut, what color it was, or what reason they had for doing it that way that particular morning. It was pretty end of story.

"It looks fine." He said pulling his knapsack around his shoulder. He saw Sakura's mouth form a pout. She apparently hadn't been satisfied with his answer. "It doesn't look bad Sakura." That hadn't helped any either. "It looks good." She looked at him her hand set on her hips.

"Now I know you're lying." He forced himself to subdue a sigh as he looked at her hair again. It looked good to him. Wasn't that enough of an answer?

"Sakura, your hair looks fine. Now we need to go into town and procure our apartment before the Akatsuki take over Tanigakure or should I tell Shibuki that your hair was what stood in the way of us and saving his village?" Sakura's face flushed and a smirk played upon his face. He barely heard her mutter a word that sounded much like 'Asshole' before she started stalking off toward the village. Kakashi smiled at her as he grabbed her left hand in his. Sakura was shocked by the contact and flinched slightly, but Kakashi pretended not to notice her hesitancy as they neared the entrance of the village.

Kakashi quickly pulled them through the layout of the town and toward their apartment complex. He had been in Tanigakure no Sato many times before and knew the village well. He stopped at the apartment door and fished for the key. He unlocked it quickly and pulled Sakura inside locking the door behind them. None of them said a word as they both started scouring the place for bugs. After twenty minutes and not finding any they relaxed and set their stuff down. The apartment was rather small but it would do the job. It was very suitable for a newly engaged couple Kakashi thought. It had one bedroom, a living area, a kitchen/dining area, and two bathrooms. One was upstairs and the other was downstairs. It was rather modern looking. Sakura had already made her way up the stairs and toward the bedroom. Kakashi wandered toward the kitchen to give her some privacy for awhile. He would head into the village soon to get her hair color that she required. It wouldn't be the first time that something like this would have to be done. He sighed thinking about the mission ahead of them.

XXX

Sakura set her bag down in the far corner of the room. The dresser was made of dark oak wood, the walls were a pale blue, the bed was huge with a dark blue comforter and white sheets, there was a bathroom connecting to the bedroom, a bedside table, a lamp that was also dark blue, and an alarm clock. Not much else occupied the space. There were two other doors in the room. One she guessed was a closet and the other she wasn't sure of.

She made her way to the bed and sighed as she held her head in her hands. Something cold pressed against her forehead and she lifted her head up to see the engagement ring. She blinked a few times. Why had Kakashi of all people given her his mother's ring and for a mission no less? It could get lost or damaged or anything could happen to it. Sakura was determined though to not let anything happen to it. Her hand that had been open palmed to let her really look at the ring now fisted. This mission would be the death of her. She rose from the bed and started to put away her clothes when she heard Kakashi's foot steps echo closer to the room. She quickly stuffed the rest of her undergarments in a drawer as the door opened. She shut it quickly.

Kakashi had noticed her actions but didn't say much anything else. He set his own bag down on the other side of the room and set up the transmitter on the bedside table on his implied side of the room. His eyes narrowed. Sakura had taken the side closest to the door out of the room. This didn't settle too well with the overprotective shinobi. He glanced back over at Sakura. She still hadn't moved from the dresser. She seemed to be lost in thought.

"Sakura." He said trying to awaken her from her thoughts. It worked. She spun around and looked at him.

"Yes Kakashi?" She had dropped the honorific again. He felt himself smiled underneath the mask. It was a good sign but he couldn't let himself get too carried away. They were undercover and the honorific of sensei for your husband didn't bode too well. He threw something at her that she reflexively caught. It was hair dye.

"There are several colors to choose from in the box. Hinata handed it to me before they left. Since I don't think you're too keen on cutting your hair again you'll need to use all of the dye to cover it well." Kakashi watched her as she nodded and opened the box. She had never dyed her hair before at least not to his knowledge. This would be a first. His gaze settled on her pink locks. He'd miss the color, but it wouldn't be permanent. He sat down on the edge of the bed on his side of the room. He laid back and crossed his arms behind his head closing his eyes in thought of everything they would have to do. They needed to find temporary jobs in order to fit in with the village, they needed fake names, they needed a background story, and most of all they needed to pull of their relationships as real. It wouldn't do them any good otherwise. He knew that Hinata and Naruto would be fine. They had been dating for awhile now. They would just act normal. Sakura on the other hand would need some help with it, and he was patient. He would teach her, but the first thing they needed to do was to get comfortable with each other in that role. That meant spending time together as a couple. They had to go on a date. It would be a good excuse to get use to the town and get familiar with everyone in it. He opened his eye to see Sakura had made her way to the bathroom. Apparently she had decided on a color. He could hear the water running in the bathroom.

Thirty minutes, and a few shifted positions on the bed from Kakashi, later the door opened. Kakashi who was now sitting on the bed, arms crossed, with his back leaning against the wall, and eye closed lifted his head and opened his eye to take in her new hair color. She now sported a light brown mane. It suited her. She looked at him self consciously. He let his face fall into a smile. She looked rather pretty.

"It looks good Sakura," he said answering her unasked question. He noticed her shoulders relaxed at his words. This only caused him to smile more. She had cared about what he thought. He rose from the bed and walked over to her. She had done a pretty good job for her first time. The color was even everywhere and even though her hair was thick she had covered even the roots. He smiled to himself. "You know if you ever wanted out of the shinobi lifestyle, Sakura, you'd do well in the cosmetology realm." This earned him a glare and a half heartedly thrown punch to his shoulder.

"Baka." Sakura sighed as she walked toward her side of the room and asked. "So when are we going to go out into town?"

"Right after we decide our names," Kakashi said leaning against the wall in-between the bathroom and door to down stairs from the bedroom. Sakura looked back at him contemplatively.

"Yuki," she said smiling at him, "Your name should be Yuki." Kakashi looked up at her oddly.

"You sound like you've thought about this before Sakura." Sakura turned pink. She had thought about that name before but not necessarily for him. It had been her boy's name if she were to have a son…and more importantly a son with him. She turned toward the opposite wall.

"Well if you don't like it find another name then Kakashi. It's not that big of a deal." Her reaction intrigued Kakashi. He liked the name though.

"Alright. I'll be Yuki because my fiancée told me to." Sakura's face got even redder. Kakashi shot her an infamous smile. His hands were now in his pockets and his eye closed. Sometimes she hated that smile. "And you'll be Kana." Sakura looked over her shoulder at him. It was a pretty name. It had more been the soft tone he had when he said it than the name itself. She narrowed her eyes at him. Where had it come from? He had been looking at the floor and when he realized she was looking at him he smiled. That only made her that much more suspicious of the name. He rose from the wall and walked toward the door. "Come Kana, we need to go find food at least. I'm starving." Sakura rolled her eyes as she followed him out of the room and further out of the apartment.

XXX

Sakura had taken Kakashi's arm as they exited the building. She wasn't so sure about Tanigakure. She had never been here before and felt a bit small. She didn't want to let it get too lodged into her mind because they were on a recon mission for the Akatsuki after all, but since taking Kakashi's arm she felt much better. He also hadn't shied away from her touch. She had just written that off as part of the act. The village was bustling with activity. Apparently they were in the time frame where the workers got off of work and the restaurant owners had opened for business for the afternoon to serve the hungry civilian men. Women were in the mix too. They were shopping or walking in groups enjoying themselves. The town was rather lively.

Kakashi glanced down at the woman on his arm. Her eyes were lit with curiosity and wonder at this newfound activity. He couldn't help smile a bit at her. It was as if she was a child again learning a new technique or standing in awe of one of her teammate's prowess with a really hard jutsu. Or on the off chance that she was gawking at him and his capability especially the time they had gone on their first real mission. A mission that was originally his, but he had opted to take them along to give them their first real taste of a real mission instead of chasing after lost kittens or planting trees. He could still remember her face when he had glanced back after hitting Zabuza Momichi with his Chidori. She had been both frightened and awestruck. He had pushed her image out of his head. The possibility that he had frightened one of his students bothered him, but in time he got over it just as she had. He brought himself back to his thoughts. That had been a long time ago, and now here she was holding onto his arm walking through a random village with her posing as his future wife a far cry from the girl she had once been. Man, how time had flown. He was old now too. He cringed at that thought. He hadn't slowed down any though. His body barely showed any sign of deterioration even for a shinobi that was rare. He stole another glance down at her. She was enjoying herself and they seemed to melt into the crowd quite well. He could imagine them doing this back in Konoha. Just walking through the village enjoying the sights and sounds not really saying anything but comfortable with that while enjoying the presence of the other. He was jolted from his thoughts though as a man rushed past Sakura shoving her hard into his torso. Kakashi glared at the man's receding figure and then glanced down at Sakura who was now beet red. His arms had instinctively reacted. His linked arm had gone to her back pressing her protectively to him and the other one had gone to his concealed weapon in his pants. He relaxed that hand and used his pointer finger's knuckle to raise her chin so she was looking at him.

"You okay Kana?" He said catching himself in time to use her pseudo name. Sakura smiled at him falsely he could tell. She was uncomfortable by how close they were. Well slightly uncomfortable even though he wasn't sure exactly why. They had been this close when they danced. She was putting up the engaged couple front though. Her eyes softened.

"I'm fine Yuki-kun." Now this one really threw Kakashi for a loop. He had not been expecting that honorific to follow his pseudo name. He smiled though and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead closing his eye. How he wanted to do that for so long, and finally he had but it was all for the sake of a mission. And to him it was a cheat. His mask had kissed her not him. Unbeknownst to him Sakura had bowed her head slightly and closed her eyes against his kiss. She shivered slightly at the contact but willed him not to feel it. She wasn't uncomfortable with the proximity as much as not use to it. She loved him after all. She wanted to be close to him, she wanted his affections, but this was a mission. None of it was real. She saddened at the thought as Kakashi released her and she was linked to his arm once more. He smiled at her and she forced one back at him.

Kakashi inwardly chided himself for not paying attention to his surroundings. That would get him as well as Sakura killed, and he would not let another one of his teammates die while he was around. He'd personally had enough of death for the year. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Her complexion was returning to normal and she was looking around again. He smiled. She was resilient as ever. He began looking around and spotted a soba stand not too far from where they were as his stomach made him aware once more of how hungry he was. He pulled Sakura in the direction of the stand and she willingly followed him.

Upon reaching the soba stand a short man with a kind face greeted them.

"Hello? What can I get for you today?" Kakashi smiled and looked to Sakura.

"What would you like Kanna?" Sakura smiled and answered sweetly to the man.

"I would like miso soba and Yuki would like teriyaki." Kakashi was actually shocked that she had known what his favorite flavor of soba was. "Wouldn't you? Or would you rather have something else?" Kakashi just smiled at her and then looked to the man.

"Teriyaki is fine." The older man who had apparently taken in the fact that they were a couple just smiled good naturedly at them.

"Alright, that'll be ten ryo." Kakashi handed him the money as he and Sakura sat on the stools in front of the stand waiting on their noodles. "How long have you two been engaged?" The man asked from the back as he fixed their meals.

"About six months," Sakura answered immediately as she glanced down at the ring on her hand. Kakashi was more than happy to let Sakura, a woman, spin their love story for him. Females tended to be much better at that sort of thing than men did anyway, but that wasn't going to keep him from analyzing the details of the engagement for memory but also to see if there was something deeper to it than what she was letting on. Six months had definitely caught his attention. It was the time frame that Sakura had been appearing more and more in his life. "We dated for about two years before that." That was something he had to think about. He reached back into his memories and noticed a trend. For the past two years they had been getting placed on missions more frequently together due to her skill as a medic and his as an assassin she would more often then not be put on a two man team with him. He was ordered to go in and when he came out, because at that point he didn't care how badly he got injured, she would stitch him up perfectly. It had been a period of time where he had gotten more reckless with his life. He had been going through a depressed state after spending too much time at the Memorial Stone along with experiencing dreams about all of his friends dying around him. It had been all his fault. He awoke from his thoughts and looked up at her contemplatively. Just how long had she held feelings for him conscious of it or not? The man reappeared from the back carrying both of the soba bowls. He smiled down at Sakura gently. Then he looked over at Kakashi. He took in his appearance and Kakashi had expected a change in demeanor due to how much older he looked than her, but the man didn't seem to change at all. The man had apparently read his mind.

"Love, no matter how much a difference there is between two people, is sacred and should be celebrated as such. Because when two hearts align together and agree to become one that is a special gift that not many come to find in this lifetime. Two hearts that are so connected to the very core of their beings to where they can understand and read each other without uttering a single word. That is a gift." Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the man's words and look over at Sakura who was smiling at the man also. He couldn't help his gaze soften. The man saw this and he smiled apparently all too knowing of Kakashi's situation.

"I am very lucky," Kakashi said softly. Sakura shot a look over at him. He ignored it and turned his head from them eating his soba. Sakura averted her eyes respectfully as he ate at lightening speed. One of these days Sakura knew he was going to choke. She just knew it.


End file.
